Garlic Scapes - Everything You Need to know: The What, How, and Why.

Every June brings all the questions about scapes, what are these things? do I cut them and why? and how do you do it? And let's not forget the inevitable...can you eat these?? What in the world do you do with them? Of course, and they are delicious. Here is a quick overview.

What Are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the young flower stalks of garlic plants, typically appearing in late spring to early summer. In New York we typically see them emerge around the 2nd week of June, depending on variety. While the garlic bulbs grow underground, scapes arise from the center of the plant, curling and twisting like green tendrils. If left on the plant, it will eventually straighten out and bloom into a lovely flower. But we don't necessarily want that.

It is crucial to remove the scapes from the plant when they appear. This simple act redirects the plant's energy back to bulb growth, leading to larger and healthier garlic bulbs.

How and when to remove Garlic Scapes

Now, let me preface this by saying, everyone has their own ideas of when and how to remove the scapes. There is never a definite right or wrong in gardening but this is just what works for us due to the amount that we have work through.

When we see that most of them have made a single loop we start the removal process. I recommend wearing gloves unless you like that pleasant garlic odor lingering on your hands for days. Some will take small snipping shears and cut the scape at the base where it is coming out of the stem. I find it much quicker to snap it off manually and we have never had an issue with that method but feel free to cut if you prefer. Check out the video above to see how I do it. Within a week we will go through the rows again and remove any we have missed or that had not fully popped up yet. If you do miss one, it is not the end of the world, but your bulb may be smaller than expected. We have had some that we missed, and they still had normal sized bulbs anyway.

Some people say that if you leave the scape on one of them when it straightens out and points to the sky, that indicates it is the time to harvest. Not sure how scientific that is but, hey, we love good farmer tips like that! After the flower dies, they will produce a seed, called a bulbil, which you can actually replant but that is a whole other topic for another day! Stay tuned, I am experimenting with that.

Culinary Delights: How to Use Garlic Scapes

Scapes are delicious, their unique flavor enhances various dishes. I would call it a mild garlic onion flavor combo, and they can be prepared in multiple ways:

1. Pesto: A standout favorite of mine is garlic scape pesto. By blending the scapes with nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice, I create a vibrant, flavorful condiment perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or as a dip. You can find some good recipes for this online and I will be posting my recipe in the future.

   
   

2. Sautéed: Sautéing garlic scapes with olive oil brings out their natural sweetness. You can use them for eggs, pasta dishes, with veggies, etc.

   
   

3. Soups and Stews: Adding chopped scapes to soups and stews elevates the flavor profile. They serve as a milder substitute for onions or leeks, giving a subtle garlicky kick without overpowering the dish. Chop and freeze some for use all winter, just grab some out of the freezer bag and throw them in your dishes. They freeze beautifully by the way.

   
   

4. Grilling: Grilling garlic scapes provides a fantastic way to lightly char them, preserving their crunch. Grilled scapes make a wonderful addition to salads or a delightful garnish on grilled meats.

   
   

5. Pickling: Grab your favorite pickle recipe and get to it!

   
   
   
   

You can also freeze them, as I mentioned above or dehydrate for future use. Freeze them blanched or unblanched.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line at maybcrazygarlic@yahoo.com, via Facebook or chat via the website.

Happy planting!