IT IS wonderful when a gardener, or rather the memory of him or her, lives on through a plant long after they have passed from this earth.

Often it is through a loved tree or shrub they planted, sometimes through seed saved through the generations.

In Eddie Grove’s case, it is through the tomatoes originally hybridised by Stan Jackson and shallots grown by legendary gardener Gerry Caws, whose family name is so associated with Seaview.

Gerry passed on some of his prizewinners many years ago and, since then, Eddie has faithfully held back some of his harvest to re-plant for the following year.

Shallots are great for that, for every bulb will probably produce six shallots — a brilliant return.

The exhibition variety cultured each year by Eddie is a type of Jersey Long shallot which originally came from France, still a top producer of quality disease-free sets.

Most people plant sets in the spring but our increasingly mild winters mean that varieties of onions and shallots can join garlic in the soil at this time of year.

Among them are Griselle and Longor, both types of Jersey Long.

Longor, as its name suggests, produces long, elegant, bulbs that are great for the plate and exhibition too, as Eddie’s beautiful examples of Jersey Long demonstrate.

He had great results with sets from Marshalls too — one twice the size of an egg!

Shallots like a rich soil and a sunny position and should be planted 10ins or so apart with 16ins between rows.

Pop sets in when the soil isn’t waterlogged and you could have some that look as good as Eddie’s — if you are lucky.

l Eddie had a great crop of butternut squash this year too and wonders how long they will keep.

The answer is that if they are undamaged, and kept dry and cool, they will probably last all winter through to spring.