Harvesting Garlic Scapes — When, Why & How

Have you ever noticed in early June (midsummer) that your garlic is sending up a thick stalk from the centre of the plant?

This stalk is called the garlic scape. If these scapes are left on the plant, they can cause problems in the plant growth. Because, as they grow, they divert the bulb’s energy into the flower, which causes the garlic bulb to end up both smaller and less flavorful. Hence, it is necessary to resolve this issue for garlic proper growth.

In this blog, you will discover Why cutting Garlic Scape is crucial for maximizing bulb yield and flavor. You will also learn the proper Techniques and Optimal Timing for Harvesting garlic scapes.

Why Removing Garlic Scape Is Important

Garlic scapes are long, green curled shoots that develop from the centre of hardneck garlic plants. If you let them grow, they will grow a flower and seed out, which can be problematic during the garlic-growing process. Therefore, most gardeners choose to eliminate them, because scapes distracts bulbs’s energy into flowers. And resulting in smaller, less flavourful garlic cloves.

Advantages of Removing Garlic Scapes

• By cutting off the scapes, you can help your garlic plants to focus their full energy on producing larger, more flavourful bulbs.
• It also reduces the risk of garlic diseases, which could spread through scapes.
• Removing scapes creates a cleaner, more visually appealing garden.
• Another reason for picking is because they’re tasty. Scapes have the same garlic flavour but milder, so use in any recipe that calls for garlic—just use more!

In 2017, researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario discovered that removing the garlic scape raised the output of garlic by an astounding 20–30%.

Things to Consider Before Harvesting

Before starting to pick garlic scapes, look at scapes that have grown long and are beginning to curl into a loop or spiral. If all conditions are satisfying, then start harvesting carefully.

When to Harvest Garlic Scapes

Garlic offers two harvests: garlic scapes are harvested in the late spring and early summer. More precisely, they are best picked from late June to early July, depending on your weather and growing conditions, and then the bulbs are picked later in the summer. For more detail visit When and how to harvest Garlic

How I Figured Out the Perfect Time to Harvest

I planted my garlic in the fall, and I’m living in Zone 7. By early June, I start to see garlic scapes. I usually start to snap in the mid of June.

I would recommend that if you want to maximise your garlic bulb size, you should pick the scapes when you notice the flower is at its peak. But if you’d like to get decent-sized scapes too, harvest the scape when it starts to curl into a half circle or full circle. This is a good middle point that increases bulb size as well as gives you a decent taste! After this, the scape will be too woody to eat and you won’t get the benefit of removing the scape.

How to Harvest Garlic Scapes

Removing scapes is a very simple process that involves picking the flower stalk before it blooms. This practice helps to maximise bulb size and ensures tender, flavourful scapes. Garlic scapes are a delicious and versatile addition to many dishes.

Use a sharp knife or garden scissors to snap or cut the scape at its base, taking care not to damage the garlic bulbs or surrounding plants. They should be firm and still tender. For multiple scapes, work methodically to ensure you don’t miss any and to avoid damaging the plants. For complete process you can visit

Once harvested, you can store fresh scapes in the refrigerator for up to a week. For long-term storage, freeze the slices. Wash and dry them thoroughly, then chop into pieces or leave whole. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be used directly from there for cooking.

Conclusion

I hope that you now understand the importance of eliminating garlic scapes at the right time. By harvesting them properly, you can produce larger and more flavourful bulbs without disease risk. Additionally, garlic scapes are also delicious to eat! For more benefit, harvest them when they start to curl. Enjoy the rewards of a bounty garlic harvest.

For more helpful gardening tips, do not forget to visit our blog.

FAQs

What Part of Garlic Scapes do you eat?

You can eat the entire garlic scape, though the tougher, stringier flower bud is frequently removed.

How do you cut and store garlic scapes?

Garlic scapes are accounted as a delicious and versatile ingredient. If you want to store them, simply clean, chop, and store them in the refrigerator. You can use a plastic bag with a damp paper towel. For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container.