Previously I have planted onion sets. The sets are tiny, maybe 1/2" across
and grow to big 3 - 4" dia onions. Excellent. This year my wife suggested
growing shallots as being more diffiult to find and expensive to buy so I
ordered up shallot sets and they have arrived on the mat.

Now I thought a mature shallot was a little pink onion about an inch in dia
so I am puzzled to see that my sets are well, little pink onions about an
inch in dia. Since they look like what I expected to get at the end of the
season I am not sure what the purpose of planting them is. Am I meant to
separate them like a garlic bulb? They don't obviously come apart like that.
Have I misunderstood what a shallot actually is?

Tim W