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Garlic Scapes

A couple of the growers grow garlic. Each year they plant the garlic in the fall and cover it with a heavy layer of chopped straw. Once the snow melts in the spring one of the first green plants to be seen is the garlic which pushes it’s way up through the chopped straw. This year since it was so cold I did not have the patience to see if the garlic plants were coming through the mulch so I dug a little to see if any was growing and sure enough there were some green plants. The straw not only acts as an insulator from the cold it also helps keep the weeds down and it also insulates the ground from the heat of summer.
At about this time of year the garlic creates a center stem that curls in a circle. This stem is where the seeds are going to be produced; although instead of allowing the plant to go to seed we cut the stems and these stems are called Garlic Scapes.
In many other countries Garlic Scapes are considered the best part of the garlic. In this county we tend to think the garlic bulbs that grow in the ground are the best part of the plant. The bulbs are usually harvested in about August when it is hot and the plants turn brown. Garlic scapes are now available on the website. They taste like garlic but they do not have as strong of a flavor. They can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in many different dishes. I find when I stir fry them they mellow out a little. Here is a website with recipes and good ideas of things to do with garlic scapes; Things to do with garlic scapes

When the scapes are cut from the top of the plant the plant puts its energy into the bulb which is below ground instead of the flower the scape will form which contains seeds. This gives us bigger garlic bulbs and we get tender tasty scapes.
Until Next Time
Marian Listwak