Are you growing a garlic plant (hardneck garlic variety) for the first time? If you have been scouring online pages and gardening books, you’ll come across advice on when to cut garlic scapes. It may be surprising to learn that you have to tend to the physical form of the garlic plant before the bulbs come in. But that’s how it is!
In this guide, you’ll learn about garlic scapes: what they are, and the best time to harvest them. More importantly, you will learn when to cut garlic scapes!
Garlic Plants 101: Understanding Garlic Scapes:
Before we jump into when to cut garlic scapes, do you know the plant well?
The hardneck garlic plant type produces a flower stem—also known as the ‘scape’. Removing this is essential, as your garlic plant will direct all the nutrition to the flower instead of the garlic bulbs. Since you’re after healthy garlic bulbs, consider the scape as the appendage that needs extracting.
But that’s not all. There is a right time to extract garlic scapes. Knowing when to cut garlic scapes helps you stop the nutrition diversion on time to let the bulbs grow. Additionally, you also get scapes in the right way. And that matters!
Think of garlic scapes—which are the curly green shoots on your plant—as an added bonus by nature. The scapes are versatile stems that not only look pretty (for a while!) in your garden but are useful too! What many newbie gardeners don’t know is that the scape part of the garlic plant is delicious, a gift for your home and kitchen.
In fact, depending on where you live, you may even find garlic scapes being sold at your local farmer’s market!
Benefits of Removing Garlic Scapes:
Wondering why it is crucial to know when to pick garlic scapes? Since the scapes are the flower stalks of the garlic plant, there is a timeline to take note of. The scapes are already taking in the energy of the plant before these are okay to pick. However, if you miss out on the ideal time, your garlic bulbs already have some energy taken away from them.
For the novice gardener, this advice is all the more important to identify when the garlic scapes have matured enough to remove—and to let the bulbs grow healthily. Here are a few things you need to know:
- Research shows that removing the garlic scape can actually improve the garlic yield by more than 20%.
- Removing the flower (the scape) allows the plant to redirect nutrition back into the root—i.e. where the garlic bulb grows!
- The need and process to remove the scape is only the case in the hardneck garlic plant, as the stalks here eventually bloom flowers.
The best time to harvest garlic scapes is when you first see the flower nodule on the stalk. However, you can let the scapes grow a bit more if you want these to taste better. On that note, let’s look into how you can put garlic scape to delightful use!
How Can You Use Garlic Scapes:
The reason why experts emphasize how and when to cut garlic scapes correctly is all about caring for your plant—and getting the best use out of garlic scapes.
Garlic scapes have a one-of-a-kind flavor. The taste will definitely remind you of garlic, but there is a certain distinction kind of a unique twist that you can make the most of in elevating the experience of
various recipes.
Here are a few ways to describe garlic scape to those who haven’t grown—or tasted—this nature’s bounty yet:
- Garlic scapes normally taste milder but more refined compared to garlic bulbs.
2. There are sweet notes, often with a bit of sharpness unique to a fresh garlic bulb.
3. Depending on when to cut garlic scapes, you may detect an herbal quality in the taste.
4. Overall, the garlic scape is delightful, being garlicky without the classic intensity.
Needless to say, garlic scapes can have the potential to be an amazing addition to your dishes, whether you’re making herb butter, salad dressing, or stir-fries.
Note: Not only can you use garlic scapes as a tasty ingredient, but also as a source of health benefits! A key quality of garlic scapes is the high allicin content, which has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal effects, and anti-inflammatory effects—plus helps promote heart health.
Garlic Plant Growth & Garlic Scape Harvest Time:
The answer to ‘when to cut garlic scapes’ depends on the growth journey of your garlic plant. From a clove to a full-fledges bulb, the process of a garlic plant’s growth is gradual—with the growth of scapes and their harvest time somewhere in between.
It’s usually around springtime when you will see vibrant green shoots coming up from the ground where you planted the cloves. Make sure you plant your garlic where there is sunlight.
Over time, the green shoot will grow into a plant that sprouts leaves, the color altering between light and vivid green. The summer season is when you will see the flower stems emerge. It is best that you get good plant growth before the weather turns too hot.
You’ll easily be able to identify the garlic scapes early on, curly, pretty flower stalks that enhance the charm of the scenery. The growth of scapes is in fact an important stage, as it marks the time when the garlic bulbs in the ground start to mature.
Coming to when to cut garlic scapes: you can either pick the scape, which helps the garlic bulb grow larger. Or you can let the scape grow out a bit, which does hinder the growth of the bulb. Watch your garlic plants carefully as they progress. Once the scapes start curling, that’s when you know they are ready for picking!
Best Time to Harvest Garlic Scapes:
Picking garlic scapes at the point when they are curling gives the best flavor, making your dishes taste superb. Here’s a brief breakdown of when to pick garlic scapes: it is ideal that you harvest the scapes in your garlic plant when they are still young and soft. Best not to let them turn tough!
The right garlic scape harvest time can actually vary depending on what kind of climate and other growing conditions you’re facing. That said, garlic scapes are generally ready for harvest in late spring or early summer.
You know when to harvest and when to cut garlic scapes. How about the right way to do it? Here are the steps to get your garlic scapes safely:
- Wait till the garlic scapes at just the right level of growth.—i.e. curling slightly, definitely not looping. These scapes are still young, with a soft texture and greater flavor.
2. To pick a scape, find the base. Run your fingers from the curled top down to where it connects to the main stem of the garlic plant. Then, grab the base firmly, gently twist, and pull. It should come off without much hassle.
3. Check the garlic after getting the scape. Inspect for any damage and trim the bad parts if necessary to maintain the health of the plant and the garlic bulb.
Repeat these steps for all the other garlic scapes that are ready for harvest. You may even have plants that have more scapes than one. Make sure to handle the plant gently but steadily to ensure minimal impact.
When to Cut Garlic Scapes—and How?
Once you know how to correctly pick garlic scapes, you’ll have some yummy stuff to add to your dishes. However, every garlic grower should know how and when to cut garlic scapes themselves to help them release their distinct flavor. Additionally, proper cutting also improves the texture as well as the appearance of any meal you add the scapes to.
With respect to ‘when to cut garlic scapes’, it is best you do it soon after you’ve harvested them. To begin, rinse your garlic scapes under cool water to get all the dirt off. Rub gently for any stubborn residue. To dry, gently pat the garlic scapes with a clean towel.
Garlic scapes taste better when you cut them shorter, kind of like you slice garlic thinly to enjoy the flavor without sharp notes taking over. You can keep the scape pieces longer if your recipe calls for it. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the scapes. Spot the bulging end of the garlic scape, which is just above where you plucked it out of the stem of the plant. Position your knife or shears slightly above this area, and make a clean, swift cut. Avoid crushing the stem to retain the flavor. If you have multiple garlic scapes, it is best you cut these individually, one by one. Make sure your cutting utensil is sharp for precision cutting. Do not chop the scapes in a processor!
How to Store Garlic Scapes Correctly:
You know how to pick and when to cut garlic scapes. If you want to store garlic scapes for maximum freshness, here is what you need to do:
- Washing the scapes before storage is ideal. Rinse the scapes well to get rid of any debris, pat dry with a towel, and air-dry for a while to get rid of excess moisture.
2. Trim the garlic scape to get rid of any discolored or damaged parts. Some people also trim the ends, but leaving them be ensures that they stay fresh for longer.
3. Even if you plan to chop your garlic scapes the very next day later, it’s best to keep these whole (unless you need to dehydrate or freeze-dry the scapes)
4. Wrap the scapes in a clean, damp paper towel before refrigeration. This moisture from the paper towel will keep the scapes from drying out.
5. Put the wrapped scapes in a loosely closed plastic bag (preferably poked with small holes). Store the scapes in the vegetable crisper drawer or another cool area of your fridge.
Check your garlic scapes from time to time. Garlic scapes can remain fresh in the refrigerator for about a week or a little longer if stored correctly. If you see any signs of spoiling, remove the bad scapes from the good ones immediately. For the best flavor and texture, use them sooner rather than later! About website
Do’s and Don’ts of Picking & Cutting Garlic Scapes:
At all stages—from growing to cutting your garlic scapes can do with a little TLC!
While most people know how to harvest and when to cut garlic scapes, here are some lesser-known tips from the experts:
- Make sure you get the scapes from your garlic plants before they start looping. You may want to wait a bit till the straight garlic scapes curl a bit so you can get these nature treats when they taste best. However, delay scape picking too long and your garlic bulbs will suffer—so make sure there’s energy for the bulbs developing underground!
2. The right way to pick garlic scapes is to pull them from where the scape starts at the stem. Don’t break or cut the scape or the stem. Also, don’t cut any leaves while you harvest the scapes. Experts have observed that cutting the garlic plant leaves can lower the garlic yield by as much as 25%.
3. Wondering if the time of day matters? It does! Pick your scapes during late morning or early afternoon, as these times are when wound healing occurs quickly. You want to aim for minimal risk of water loss from the plant and disease around the area where you pick the scape.
Finally, when you harvest the scapes, check your garlic plant for signs of maturity as well. If any of the plants show browning on the sixth leaf down, the garlic bulb is ready to be harvested.
Verdict: Picking & Cutting Garlic Scapes Right Matters!
While some may overlook the details of how to harvest and when to cut garlic scapes, know that the right timing and techniques are the secrets to delectable flavor. Understanding the right way to pick scapes will help you maximize your garlic yield, unlock the way to enhance your recipes, and ensure that all your hard work on growing the plant pays off!