Garlic

kiwirose 5/13/2010, 4:18 pm

So a few weeks ago I got fabulous garlic scapes in my CSA bag. After figuring out what in the world they were, I discoverd I love theys beasties. Once I start getting the garlic cloves from the CSA and wondered if I could save the cloves till fall before planting them, or if I should just eat the garlic now and buy new garlic in the fall so I can grow my own?

Retired Member 1 5/13/2010, 6:25 pm

OK, I'm a bit confused -- my garlic puts up scapes but they end up flowers if I don't cut them off. So is this the stem of the flower before it flowers? Have I been denying myself a delicacy without knowing about it? I just chop off the flower bud. Never knew I could harvest and use the scape. Will now have to wait until next year as mine are history.

BYW, you could keep a few cloves for planting. I keep mine from year to year by placing in a mesh onion bag and hanging in the shed.

**camprn** 5/13/2010, 6:46 pm

Let the flower go to seed pod & voila
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06159/696525-34.stm

Here at this blog are some nice recipes using garlic scapes.

kiwirose 5/13/2010, 8:58 pm

I plan to have truck loads next year (ok, perhaps a little wishful thinking) but will like to know more of wht I can use these wonderful goodies for!

martha 5/13/2010, 9:29 pm

this is my first year growing garlic. (I planted in the fall.) When should I be watching for scapes?

kiwirose 5/13/2010, 9:37 pm

my understanding is that it is only some kinds of garlic that will send up scapes. I think it is that hardneck variety. I am in zone 7 - last frost date April 15 (average) and we had scapes 2 weeks ago. Perhaps if you do the math from your last frost date it will give you an idea?

If you go to the post-gazette link from camprn you will see what you are looking for. apparently, you can use everything up to the 'bulb-ette' or what ever you call the thing on the end of the scape. I have heard that if you plant that part in the ground it will grow into a garlic plant. I have not tried it though...

I sliced my scapes up and threw them in my cole slaw - yum-oh - and sauted with other greens instead of garlic - wonderful - who knew! Smile

another happy garden day harvesting scapes - Garlic Icon_razz

Retired Member 1 5/13/2010, 11:17 pm

My garlic is obviously different as it sends up a stiff stalk and if I let it flower, I end up with a round ball of tiny pinkish-white flowers that measures 2 - 3" in diameter. Very pretty. So I guess I don't get to harvest scapes next year. harvesting scapes - Garlic Icon_cry

kiwirose 5/14/2010, 8:10 am

They are very firm and about a quarter inch give or take, perfectly round stalks... it might be what you are talking about? I don't know if the 'thing' at the end of the scape turns into the flower if one doesn't pick and eat it? Worst thing you could do is saccrifice a flower and see if the stalk tastes good?

Retired Member 1 5/14/2010, 8:16 am

Worst thing you could do is saccrifice a flower and see if the stalk tastes good?

Will have to wait until next year as I've already cut off all the flowering stalks so the bulbs will grow larger. But I'll remember this when they send up their stalks next year.

mybeth 5/24/2010, 3:14 pm

I just got a big old flower on my Elephant Garlic! Yeah!

Retired Member 1 5/24/2010, 11:10 pm

mybeth wrote:I just got a big old flower on my Elephant Garlic! Yeah!

You might want to cut it off before it actually flowers so the energy will go into make large bulbs.

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Thank you so much for the links

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when to watch for scapes

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scapes are very stiff stalks

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