I’ll never understand why garlic scapes aren’t more popular. Outside of the community of garlic growers, most people I talk to have never even heard of them!
Most grocery stores don’t sell them, though if you are lucky you may be able to find them seasonally at your local co-op or farmers market.
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The truth is that these long, swirly green stems you see growing out of garlic plants in early summer are not only edible, they’re exceptionally delicious.
They have a mild garlicky flavor and can be eaten raw, cooked, or even pickled – my favorite.
What’s more, they are a natural part of the plant’s growing process and a cinch to harvest. Continue reading to learn all about growing, picking, and using garlic scapes.
Garlic scapes are a unique and tasty part of the garlic plant that many gardeners may not be familiar with. As the popularity of these curly green shoots grows, more people are asking “can you plant garlic scapes?” The short answer is yes! Garlic scapes can be planted to grow new garlic plants. But it takes some patience compared to planting garlic from cloves.
What are Garlic Scapes?
Garlic scapes are the flower stalks that emerge and curl from hardneck garlic plants in early summer, They look like curling green stems with a bulbous tip Scapes form as part of the garlic growth cycle and are part of the plant’s reproductive system
If left to fully develop, the scape will produce a cluster of small flowers, followed by tiny bulbils. The bulbils can then be planted to grow new garlic plants. However, most growers prune the scapes off early to encourage better bulb growth underground.
When to Harvest Garlic Scapes
Timing is important when harvesting garlic scapes. For best flavor and texture, cut scapes when they are around 6 inches tall and just starting to curl. This is generally in early to mid summer. Cutting them off early redirects the plant’s energy into bulb production.
Use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears Cut the scapes as close to the base as possible Rinse and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. They can also be frozen or dried for longer storage.
Can You Plant Garlic Scapes Directly?
Technically, you can plant a freshly cut garlic scape directly into the garden. However, it is unlikely to produce a sizable garlic bulb that season. The scape needs time to mature and produce flower bulbs and bulbils before it can grow a good underground bulb.
So while planting the fresh scape may eventually produce garlic, it will take 2-3 growing seasons. For a faster harvest, it’s better to let the scapes fully develop on the plant first.
Allowing Scapes to Mature for Planting
To use garlic scapes for planting and growing new garlic plants, don’t cut them right away. Allow the scapes to fully mature on the original garlic plant. Here’s what to expect as they develop:
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The scapes will continue growing taller and start to curl into a loop shape.
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Small greenish-white flowers will emerge from the end of the curly stem.
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The flowers will swell into little bulbils, turning brown as they mature.
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Bulbils can be picked when plump and brown. Or can be left to drop off naturally.
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Collected bulbils can be stored in a cool dry place until ready to plant.
How to Plant Garlic Bulbils
The tiny garlic bulbils can be planted in fall or early spring. Treat them similar to planting garlic cloves:
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Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Amend soil with compost.
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Separate and space bulbils 4-6 inches apart and 1-2 inches deep.
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Water gently and keep moist until sprouts emerge.
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Allow the new garlic plants to grow and mature over one or two growing seasons.
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Harvest when the leaves start yellowing and dying back.
The advantage of planting bulbils is you don’t need to buy garlic bulbs or cloves to start new plants. The downside is it takes longer to grow garlic from bulbils versus planting cloves. But if you already grow garlic, it’s an easy free way to propagate more plants.
Storing Garlic Bulbils for Planting Later
If you don’t want to plant the bulbils right after harvest, they can be stored for later planting. Here are some tips for storing bulbils:
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Allow bulbils to cure for 1-2 weeks in a dry spot out of sunlight after harvesting.
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Remove any remaining flower stem and roots. Rinse and dry the bulbils well.
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Place in paper envelopes or mesh bags. Avoid using plastic which can cause moisture buildup.
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Store in a cool (60-70°F), dry place away from light. A basement or garage works well.
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Check periodically and remove any bulbils showing signs of rot or mold.
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Stored properly, garlic bulbils will remain viable for planting for up to a year.
Storing bulbils allows you to save them from season to season for a steady garlic crop each year. Replenishing with some fresh bulbils annually will maintain vigor.
Tips for Growing Great Garlic from Bulbils
Follow these tips to get the best results when growing garlic from scape bulbils:
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Plant in the fall 6-8 weeks before the ground freezes for roots to establish. Or very early spring as soon as ground can be worked.
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Loosen soil and mix in compost or aged manure before planting. Garlic loves rich, well-draining soil.
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Plant the largest, healthiest bulbils with good husk covering – about 40 per square foot.
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Plant 1-2 inches deep, with pointy end up. Space 4-6 inches apart.
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Water moderately after planting and during early growth. Avoid wet soil.
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Weed and mulch in spring to prevent competition.
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Cut any flowers or new scapes the first year to promote bulb growth.
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Harvest when about 2/3 of the leaves have turned yellow or brown.
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Cure bulbs for 2+ weeks in warm, dry spot before storing.
Can You Plant Garlic Scapes in Water?
Yes, you can grow garlic scapes in water! This is a fun way to grow fresh garlic greens indoors in a small space. Here’s a simple method:
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Choose a few plump garlic cloves and put in a small glass or jar. Add enough water to cover the bottom half of the cloves.
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Place in a sunny window and change the water daily.
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In a few days, green shoots will begin sprouting from the tops of the cloves.
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Once they reach 3-6 inches tall, use kitchen scissors to snip off the tender greens.
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Use them to add mild garlic flavor to dishes. Keep cutting greens as they regrow.
The clove itself will eventually sprout roots and can be planted to grow into a full bulb. So this technique provides garlic greens now and plants later!
Uses for Harvested Garlic Scapes
Don’t let harvested garlic scapes go to waste! They have a delicious mild garlic flavor perfect for:
- Added raw to salads, dressings, dips and sauces
- Lightly sautéed or grilled
- Chopped on top of pizza, pasta, baked potatoes or soups
- Infused in oil or vinegar
- Pickled or fermented
- Used to make pesto
The younger and more tender the scapes, the better they are for eating fresh. Older, fibrous scapes work well for cooking applications. Get creative with these garlic greens!
Garlic scapes are a unique edible part of the garlic plant. While not as speedy as planting garlic cloves, scapes can be planted to propagate new garlic plants in the garden. Allow them to fully mature and produce bulbils before planting. With some patience, planting garlic scapes provides free garlic plants year after year.
What Are Garlic Scapes?
Scapes form naturally as part of the reproductive cycle of hardneck garlic plants. Note that most softneck varieties do not form scapes.
These round, firm stalks shoot out from the center of the plant in early summer and are ready to harvest about a month or so before the bulbs.
They grow above the height of the leaves, eventually curling around once or twice.
If you don’t remove them, they will first form a cluster of small flowers and eventually produce bulbils, which can be harvested later and propagated to form new plants.
Though it is possible to grow new plants from the bulbils, it takes much longer than sowing cloves, about two or three years from planting to harvest.
The flowers and bulbils are edible as well, though it would take quite a bit of effort to peel and cook enough of the tiny bulbils to flavor a dish.
If you are already planning to grow garlic, you don’t need to do anything special to produce the tasty scapes as well.
It’s a two-for-one situation; grow healthy plants and you will wind up with long, beautiful scapes.
Check out this guide for everything you need to know to plant and grow a flourishing garlic crop.
Removing the scapes may even be good for the bulbs. Many gardeners believe doing so improves the main crop by redirecting energy to increasing the size of the bulb, and it doesn’t hurt that they are delicious.
And since they are ready several weeks before it is time to harvest the bulbs, you can increase your garlic season by a month or more!
Be sure to look for a hardneck variety (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) since softnecks don’t typically form scapes.
There are many varieties of hardnecks you can choose from, all of which will produce delicious scapes, so your best bet is to select whichever hardneck has the bulb type you most prefer.
There are other benefits to growing hardnecks as well.
They tend to have larger, easier to peel cloves than softnecks and are often more flavorful too. They are also much more cold hardy and can be grown all the way down to USDA Zone 1.
‘Chesnok Red’ is a variety of hardneck with beautiful purple stripes, easy-peeling large cloves, and especially tender scapes.
You can purchase organic cloves for planting from Botanical Interests.
‘Music’ is another popular porcelain-type hardneck that produces large, spicy bulbs with a long storage capacity.
Porcelain types are a great choice in general as these hardnecks tend to feature large, flavorful, easy-to-peel cloves that store well for a long time.
‘Music’ cloves for planting are available from Botanical Interests.
Scapes are ready to harvest about a month before the main crop, typically sometime between mid-May and mid-June, depending on your growing zone.
They are ready to pick once they have risen above the leaves and started to curl.
You can harvest just before or just after the first loop forms, but wait too long and they will start to toughen and become less palatable.
Harvest in the late morning when the weather is dry. Use a clean scissors or pruning shears to cut the stem as far down as you are able, being careful not to cut any of the leaves.
They may not all be ready at the same time, so be sure to make frequent trips to the garden over the course of a few weeks!
Store them in the fridge until you are ready to use them. They should keep for up to three weeks if stored in an airtight zip-top bag.
Alternatively, you can keep them for a few days on the counter in a glass of cool water. Just make sure to change the water daily.
You can also freeze them for up to a year. Chop them up and freeze them raw.
To prevent clumping, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and flash freeze first. After a couple of hours, move them to a freezer-safe container or bag for long term storage.
If you want to dry them, just chop them up into little pieces and place in a dehydrator for about eight hours. Once fully dried, you can store them in a sealed jar in your spice cabinet.
If you want to get more creative, you can also pickle them, ferment them, or use them to infuse oil or vinegar.
This summer at my farmers market stand I had several jars of pickled scapes for sale. Most people who came by had never heard of them, and I secretly hoped I wouldn’t sell many.
A family favorite, pickled scapes happen to be a frequent request of my three-year-old.
She has a unique palate for a toddler, but I’m right there with her on this one! They are particularly wonderful for pickling because they are so flavorful and maintain their crunch very well.
I love to pickle them in a white vinegar brine with dill and peppercorns, but you can use any pickling brine and spice combination you like.
If you need some inspiration, visit our sister site Foodal for some pickling ideas.
Watch This Before You Plant Garlic
FAQ
How to get seeds from garlic scapes?
Grasp the stem below the seed pod (which looks like a long pointed cap) and pull slowly and firmly upward. The scape will release with a pop, and you’ll end up with a full-length stem, including the tender lower portion that you otherwise wouldn’t get if you simply cut it off.
How to grow garlic from scraps?
How to Save Garlic. Garlic is vegetatively propagated rather than grown from seeds. To regrow garlic, keep bulbs intact until no more than 1-2 days before replanting, then simply pull apart garlic bulbs and plant individual cloves as described above.
What is the mistake in planting garlic?
Biggest Mistake: Planting too early. Why? Garlic establishes it’s root system before sending up a green shoot. Planted too early, the green shoot can rise several inches, acting as a straw over the winter to draw water from the clove, effectively desiccating the clove and potentially killing it.