Does Soft Neck Garlic Produce Scapes? A Comprehensive Guide

Garlic is an essential ingredient in cuisines around the world With its pungent, savory flavor, garlic adds depth and complexity to dishes ranging from Italian pastas to Indian curries As a versatile and healthy vegetable, garlic is a must-have for any home garden.

There are two main types of garlic grown by home gardeners – soft neck and hard neck. While they share many similarities there are some key differences between the two that impact everything from flavor to cultivation requirements. One of the most noticeable differences is that hard neck garlic produces scapes while soft neck garlic does not.

What are Scapes?

Scapes are flowering stalks that emerge from hard neck garlic plants in early summer. They begin as swollen areas at the tops of the plants, then shoot upward into green, curled stems topping out around 12-18 inches in height.

Scapes contain a cluster of tiny bulbils at the tip that would develop into garlic flowers if left on the plant. Gardeners pinch off the scapes to encourage the plant’s energy to go towards bulb production underground rather than flowering above ground.

Removed scapes are completely edible and offer a mild garlic flavor reminiscent of chives. They can be used raw in salads, pesto, dips, and more. Light cooking mellows their bite and brings out a sweetness similar to asparagus.

So why doesn’t soft neck garlic produce these useful and tasty scapes? The reasons have to do with genetics, environment, and floral sterility.

Genetic Differences Between Soft Neck and Hard Neck Garlic

Soft neck and hard neck garlic belong to two different subspecies of the same plant species, Allium sativum.

• Hard neck garlic is Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon. It is more closely related to wild garlic and has evolved to handle cold climates.

• Soft neck garlic is Allium sativum var. sativum. It has been bred for warm environments and high yields.

These genetic differences lead to distinctly different growth habits. Hard neck garlic forms a stiff central flowering stalk, while soft neck garlic grows more flexible stems that can be braided for storage. Below the ground, hard necks produce 4-12 larger cloves arranged in a circle around the core. Soft necks yield 8-20 smaller cloves layered concentrically.

The genetics of hard neck garlic support the development of above-ground reproductive structures. Soft neck genetics focus the plant’s resources underground for increased bulb production. This results in hard necks sending up scapes while soft necks do not.

Environmental Triggers for Scapes

Genetics aren’t the whole story. Growing environment also plays a key role in scape formation. Hard neck garlic requires vernalization – a period of cold temperature below 40°F for 4-8 weeks in winter. This cold exposure triggers internal changes needed for bulb formation and development of the flowering stalk.

Soft neck garlic has a lower vernalization requirement. It only needs a few weeks of temperatures below 50°F to form bulbs properly. The warmer the climate, the less vernalization soft necks need. In fact, some varieties need no vernalization at all.

The conditions that allow hard neck garlic to produce scapes year after year rarely occur in environments suitable for soft necks. Even if an occasional soft neck plant sends up a scape-like shoot, the head lacks the genetics to create flowers or bulbils. The scarcity of scapes on soft neck garlic comes down to both genetic and environmental causes.

The Purpose of Scapes

As a sterile subspecies, soft neck garlic has no need to form flowers or reproductive structures like scapes. But hard neck garlic uses scapes to complete its lifecycle. In the process, gardeners get a uniquely flavored harvest.

Left on the plant, scapes continue reaching upward until the bulbils swell into clusters of tiny flowers. Once pollinated, the flowers develop into small aerial bulbils that can drop to the ground and sprout into genetically identical daughter plants. These bulbils detach easily from the scape when rubbed between your fingers – an adaptive trait that helps the plant propagate.

If hard neck garlic didn’t send up scapes, the bulbils would have to form underground. This would divert energy away from enlarging the edible bulbs. Instead, the scapes allow aerial bulbil production while maximizing bulb growth below ground. It’s an elegant evolutionary adaption.

For soft necks, propagating from underground bulbils would be pointless since the plants lack the cold requirements to form bulbs in the first place. They’ve been adapted for warm climates and extensive human cultivation. Soft necks survive through being divided and replanted annually by farmers and gardeners.

Can Soft Necks Occasionally Produce Scapes?

Once in a while, a soft neck garlic plant sends up a scape-like stalk. There are a few possible explanations:

• Mislabeled seed stock – Garlic is propagated vegetatively from cloves. It’s easy for varieties to get accidentally mixed up, resulting in soft neck plants grown from hard neck cloves. Always source seed stock from reputable suppliers.

• Environmental triggers – Extremes in weather, moisture, or soil can stress plants into bolting. Soft necks forced to undergo more vernalization than normal may shoot up scapes as a survival response. Ensure plants aren’t waterlogged or starved of nutrients.

• Virus contamination – Viruses like garlic common latent virus (GarCLV) are endemic in many garlic growing regions. Plants infected with viruses can display atypical growth habits. Purchase certified disease-free seed stock and isolate plants showing strange characteristics.

• Genetic mutations – Natural genetic mutations can occur spontaneously in plants. If a soft neck gene sequence controlling flowering is altered, scapes may form. These freak occurrences don’t last beyond one generation since soft necks don’t sexually reproduce.

Unless due to one of the above unusual circumstances, soft neck garlic staying true-to-type will not produce scapes. Don’t expect to harvest scapes from properly labeled soft neck varieties grown in optimal conditions.

Choosing the Best Garlic for Your Garden

Now that you understand the factors controlling scape formation, you can choose garlic varieties tailored to your growing conditions:

• For cold winter climates, grow hard neck garlic to enjoy beautiful scapes. Prioritize hardy northern strains.

• For warm southern gardens with mild winters, cultivate soft neck garlic for maximum bulb yields. Seek out heat-tolerant strains.

• If you live in a transitional zone with cold winters and hot summers, grow both hard and soft neck varieties. Opt for mid-season strains.

• To experience scapes in warmer zones, pre-chill hard neck cloves in the refrigerator before fall planting. Just don’t expect large bulbs without sufficient winter chilling in the garden.

• Focus on flavor. Soft necks offer mellower, sweeter notes while hard necks pack spicy, pungent punch. Choose varieties aligned with how you cook.

Regardless of type, always source seed garlic from reputable suppliers to avoid issues with mislabeling. Certain companies sell special multi-clove soft neck strains bred to occasionally produce scapes. Read catalog descriptions carefully before purchasing.

How to Harvest and Use Garlic Scapes

If you do grow hard neck garlic, scapes provide a bounty of edible treats each summer. Here are some tips for harvesting and enjoying them:

• Monitor scape growth starting in early summer. Pinch them off when the lower portion of the stem becomes swollen and the tip just begins to curl. This prevents diversion of energy from bulb growth.

• Both the stems and bulbils are edible, with the lower stems being more tender. Chop scapes into 1/4 inch pieces to release their flavor.

• Use raw scapes like chives or ramps. Mix into compound butters, dips, dressings, pestos, and sauces.

• Quick-cook scapes by sautéing, grilling, or roasting to mellow their punchy garlic bite. They pair well with eggs, pasta, pizza, chicken, fish, and vegetables.

• Store fresh scapes in the refrigerator up to two weeks. Blanche then freeze for longer storage. Dehydrate into garlic chips or powders.

• Ferment into a spicy scape hot sauce. Pickle in brine for a tangy condiment. Infuse in oil or vinegar to impart flavor.

Rejoice in the garlicky goodness of scapes! Their short seasonal window in early summer makes enjoying these flavorful shoots a special treat.

The reasons soft neck garlic doesn’t produce scapes come down to genetic differences and environmental factors. Hard neck garlic genetically evolves scapes to complete its reproductive lifecycle. Soft necks have been bred to focus energy on underground bulb production rather than flowering. Additionally, soft necks thrive best in warmer conditions that don’t stimulate scape growth.

While an occasional soft neck plant may send up a scape-like shoot, this is due to stress, disease, or genetic mutations. True soft neck garlic staying healthy and true-to-type will not yield scapes.

Understanding the scape differences between garlic types allows you to select the best varieties for your garden. Grow hard necks for cold climates and leafy scapes. Choose soft necks for hotter zones and bigger bulbs. And enjoy experimenting with these diverse alliums in your culinary creations!