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!.
The majority of grocery stores don’t carry them. However, you might be able to find them at your local farmers market or co-op during certain times of the year.
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The truth is that these long, swirly green stems that grow from garlic plants in early summer are not only tasty, they’re also edible.
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 is a versatile ingredient used in cuisines around the world. But did you know you can easily grow garlic sprouts, also known as scapes, right in your own home?
Garlic scapes are the flower stalks that emerge from garlic bulbs. They have a mild garlicky flavor that makes a tasty addition to dishes. With just a few simple supplies, you can grow garlic scapes indoors as an edible houseplant.
Why Grow Garlic Scapes?
Growing garlic scapes indoors is an easy gardening project for beginners. Here are some of the benefits:
- Requires minimal equipment – just garlic cloves and a container.
- Grows quickly, sprouting in just a few days.
- Provides a continual harvest. Snip off scapes as needed.
- Adds fresh garlic flavor to cooking without the strong bite of raw garlic.
- Fun to watch them grow right on your windowsill.
- Guaranteed success even for those with a “brown thumb”.
How to Grow Garlic Scapes from Garlic Cloves
Growing garlic scapes is simple. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Supplies Needed
- Garlic cloves – Purchase fresh, firm garlic heads from the grocery store. Separate into individual cloves.
- Small glass or jar – Pick a clear container such as a shot glass or jar. This allows you to watch the roots develop.
- Water
Instructions
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Fill the container with a bit of water – just enough to cover the bottom.
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Place 1-2 garlic cloves in the water, root side down.
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Put the container in a spot that gets lots of sun, like a south-facing windowsill.
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Check daily and add more water as needed to keep the bottom covered
Within 3-5 days, green shoots will begin emerging from the tops of the cloves. Once they are a few inches tall, use kitchen scissors to snip off the tender scapes.
Caring for Your Garlic Scapes
Garlic is a hardy plant that will continue growing with minimal care. Here are some tips:
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Sunlight – Garlic needs full sun to grow well. Turn the container periodically so all sides get sunlight.
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Water – Add fresh water as needed to keep the bottom of the cloves submerged.
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Fertilizer – No need to fertilize, the clove contains all the nutrients needed.
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Harvesting – Cut scapes when they reach 3-6 inches tall. Cut above a leaf joint to encourage more growth.
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Planting – Can plant the cloves outdoors after harvesting scapes. They will grow into full bulbs.
How to Use Garlic Scapes
The mild garlic flavor of scapes makes them versatile to use in cooking. Here are some ideas:
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Saute into scrambled eggs, omelets or frittatas.
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Mix into mashed potatoes or potato salad.
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Chop and add to pasta, pizza, salads, dips and dressings.
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Use as a garnish for soups, grains or roasted veggies.
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Add to marinades and sauces.
The fresh greens also make a nutritious addition to green smoothies. Mix in with other greens, fruits and liquids.
Growing Garlic Scapes from Bulbs
You can also easily grow full garlic plants from bulbs bought at the grocery store. Separate the head into individual cloves and plant root-side down about 1 inch deep and 4-6 inches apart in soil. They will sprout in spring and can be harvested when the leaves start browning in mid-summer.
Troubleshooting Garlic Scape Plants
Growing garlic scapes indoors is fairly foolproof but occasionally problems arise. Here are some common issues and solutions:
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Rotting cloves – The cloves may rot if the water gets stagnant. Change the water every 2-3 days.
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Small sprouts – The container may be too crowded or not getting enough sun. Try using fewer cloves per container.
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Flowering stalks – If left to grow, scapes will produce flowers and seeds. Cut frequently to encourage leafy growth.
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Leggy or falling over – Plants growing toward the light. Rotate the jar or move to a sunnier area.
Enjoy Your Homegrown Garlic Scapes!
Now that you know how easy it is to grow garlic scapes indoors, give it a try! In just a week or so, you’ll be enjoying fresh garlicky greens right from your windowsill. Perfect for any level gardener looking for green life in their kitchen.
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.
In early summer, these round, firm stalks grow out of the plant’s center. They’re ready to be picked about a month before the bulbs.
They grow above the height of the leaves, eventually curling around once or twice.
If you don’t get rid of them, they will first turn into a cluster of small flowers and then into bulbils that can be harvested and used to grow new plants.
From planting to harvest, it takes about two or three years for bulbils to grow into new plants. This is much longer than planting cloves.
You can also eat the flowers and bulbils, though it would be hard to peel and cook enough of the tiny bulbils to flavor a dish.
You don’t have to do anything extra to grow the tasty scapes if you are already planning to grow garlic.
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 think that this makes the main crop better by focusing energy on making the bulb bigger, and the fact that they taste great doesn’t hurt either.
You can get extra garlic for at least one more month because they are ready a few weeks before the bulbs are ready to be picked.
Be sure to look for a hardneck variety (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) since softnecks don’t typically form scapes.
You can choose from many types of hardnecks, and all of them will make tasty scapes. The best thing to do is pick the hardneck with the bulb type you like best.
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. Also, they can be grown all the way down to USDA Zone 1, which is much colder.
‘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.
In general, porcelain types are a good choice because their hardnecks tend to have big, tasty cloves that are easy to peel and keep for a long time.
‘Music’ cloves for planting are available from Botanical Interests.
About a month before the main crop, in mid-May to mid-June, depending on where you live, the scapes are ready to be picked.
They are ready to pick once they have risen above the leaves and started to curl.
You can pick them right before or right after the first loop forms, but if you wait too long, they will get tough and less tasty.
Harvest in the late morning when the weather is dry. To cut the stem as far down as you can, use clean scissors or pruning shears. Be careful not to cut any of the leaves.
You should check the garden often over the next few weeks because they might not all be ready at the same time.
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.
Cut them up and put them in a dehydrator for about eight hours to dry them. Once fully dried, you can store them in a sealed jar in your spice cabinet.
If you want to get more creative, you can ferment them, pickle them, or add them to 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.
I agree with her on this one, even though she has a very picky toddler palate. They are great for pickling because they are so tasty and keep their crunch very well.
I like to pickle them in a brine of white vinegar, dill, and peppercorns, but you can use any brine and spice mix you like.
If you need some inspiration, visit our sister site Foodal for some pickling ideas.
Did You Plant Garlic? You Need to Cut Off the Scapes!
FAQ
Do garlic scapes turn into seeds?
How to grow garlic from scraps?
Can you plant garlic that is already sprouted?
How do you grow garlic scapes?
There’s nothing you need to do to grow garlic scapes other than to plant garlic. Their formation is a natural part of the garlic growth cycle and part of the plant’s reproductive process. Provide good care to the garlic and watch in spring for the curly slender stems. Cutting scapes of garlic is an early season activity in March or April.
Should you harvest garlic scapes?
Whether you have developed a taste for garlic scapes in your dishes or not, you should always harvest them to encourage the plant to focus on growing larger bulbs with better flavors. Some people believe that garlic scapes should be left to grow along with the plant to protect the bulbs against pests and diseases.
Can you grow garlic scapes from a grocery store?
If you planted softneck garlic, or garlic from the grocery store, you likely will not get garlic scapes. Garlic scapes begin as small shoots coming out the top of the plant, but as they grow, they start twisting and turning. If left to mature completely, they will turn upward and straighten up. When Is the Best Time to Harvest Garlic Scapes?
Should you remove garlic scapes?
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!
