Garlic Scapes

Canadian Farmer Guy · Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:12 pm

Hello Gardeners

I am growing some hard-neck garlic to sell this year.
Just yesterday I noticed that the scapes are starting to grow.

Now, my question is: how big can I allow the scape to grow without sacrificing bulb size?

One of my customers might be interested in buying some scapes.
If she isn't, I'll just cut them as soon as they come up.
But if she is, I'll probably let a few scapes grow a bit.

Above all, I don't want to do anything that will impede the bulb growth.
I'm hoping to sell the garlic for a lot of money, and I don't want to take chances with it.

Any advice is much appreciated.

CFG

DoubleDogFarm · Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:05 pm

I don't like to let them go any further than these.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Garlic%20June%2015th%202010/DSC02300.jpg[/img]
and harvest should look like this
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/DSC02409.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/DSC02356.jpg[/img]

Eric

Canadian Farmer Guy · Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:16 pm

Nice stuff DD!

I worked for two seasons on a farm that grew a lot of organic garlic.
But the place was a perpetual disaster, so I wanted to get some second opinions.

CFG

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:56 pm

The photos are last years crop. This years "Music" hardneck are just starting to send up scapes.

One to two loops on the scapes, no more.

Eric

Stella Blue · Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:14 am

Nice lookin' garlic there DD. Where do you cut the scapes? Mine are curling just like in your picture.

soil · Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:48 am

I just harvested about 700 scapes, I cut them right above the top leaf at an angle. they either get chopped up and frozen, or made into scape pesto.

DoubleDogFarm · Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:55 am

Yep, Right above the top leaf.

Eric

gixxerific · Sun Jun 12, 2011 3:09 pm

Been harvesting mine as well I am going to let at least one go to see it bloom.

I was looking up scape pesto recipes earlier and found this link https://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/06/18/garlic-scape-pesto-from-the-garlic-farm-in-west-granby/ it is a good light read with a bunch of good pics and a recipe to boot.