Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are really the seed head for the garlic plant. Every plant uses some method to reproduce and this is garlic's. Most people do not start garlic from seed, though. To plant a new bed of garlic you take some of your favorite garlic, separate the head into cloves and push each clove into the ground a few inches. Just like flower bulbs you have to make sure the cloves are right side up. The pointy end goes up and blunt end down. Planting can be done in the fall in New England.

The garlic then sends up shoots in the spring. In June, the seed heads appear. They have a very exotic way of curling up like a coiled rope. Once they coil a few times you harvest your garlic scapes.

Without harvesting, the plant will sent it's energy to the creating the seed pod and the garlic bulb will stay very small. You can try this experiment in your garden. Plant a dozen garlic cloves. Next sping, harvest most of the garlic scapes, but leave a few on the plant. Then, in the fall, compare the size of your harvested bulbs. The ones with the scapes still attached will be one tenth the size of your fully mature bulbs.

There are lots of uses for garlic scapes. If you are adventurous, you can munch them raw. Just be sure that you really like garlic and your significant other really likes garlic as well! I use garlic scapes in stir fry just as you would a green onion (scallion). Other people have said they make garlic scape pesto or use the scapes in soups.
Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic Scape Soup and other recipes
Garlic Scape Frittata and other recipes