Help! My garlic in falling over

I planted my garlic in the fall and I just read that I need to wait until a third of the leaves turn brown and fall over before I can harvest. My garlic is in the process of forming scapes which I understand is just one of the signs that it's doing it's thing and that harvest time is still a few weeks away.

My problem is that we either had some strong winds or I had a critter invade the garlic and push them over. They have not turned brown so I don't think they are ready to harvest but they are laying over and the ones on the end of the bed are creased in the stem and are not looking real healthy. Should I pull these and if they have formed a bulb will I be able to cure it and cook with it?

Some of the stalks that had fallen over I was able to push soil around the stalk and stand them up again, and they seem to be doing okay.

I guess I should have taken a picture. I'll try to post one tomorrow.

Thanks,
Sandy

Your harvest is coming soon....I think it's time to remove the scapes. Last year mine fell over but I harvested a few weeks later after the foliage was really turning brown.

Okay I'll just hang on then. I won't be damaging them by leaving them in the ground even though they are bent over and creased in the stem, will I? I'll try to get a picture today.

Don't worry about them falling over. That is normal. When they are good and brown, withhold water for about 3 or 4 days, and then pull them. It is easier to brush away the dirt if it is dry.

What's a scape?

My oldest one (planted in Feb) is falling over too, but I think the cabbage leaf is weighing it down.

My first planted shallots are half brown and falling over, yet it's not "mid-late summer" yet (says the bulb package on when to harvest). I took up one by accident when weeding - it looks like a young bunching onion at this point.

(Back into the ground it went.)

Ava

A scape it the center flower stalk that comes out of the center of the plant. It curls into an "O" with a tail. You cut these off to make the plant concentrate on making a bigger garlic bulb instead of going to seed. You can eat the scapes in salads or some people saute them......I just used a little bit in a salad. I learned all of this on You Tube.

i like to use the scapes in pesto.