Picking Garlic Scapes

How to Pick Garlic Scapes

Right as soon as the scape starts to curl, it is ready to be snapped off. The easiest way to snap the scape is to find where the garlic is emerging out of the leaves, and snap it with your thumb and 1st finger.

Garlic Scape Facts:

  • Garlic Scapes develop out of hardneck garlic.
  • Softneck garlic can produce a weak scape if it is stressed.
  • Scapes will store in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks or more.
  • Scapes should be snapped to produce larger bulbs.
  • If scapes are not snapped, bulb size will be diminished.
  • Snap scapes right after their first curl.
  • If you missed snapping the scape, they will straighten out and point to the sky and that means it is time to harvest the garlic.
  • Estimated yield of garlic scapes: 40-50 scapes equal 1lb.. This can vary by variety and the timing of snapping the scape.
  • Leaving scapes on can result in longer storage of garlic, but this is also due to the garlic being smaller in size.
  • See our Garlic Scape recipes for ways to use this garlic delicacy.
Kids picking garlic scapes at Keene Garlic Field
Kids picking garlic scapes Keene Garlic Field
Snap Garlic Scape
Snap Garlic Scape with fingers
Keene Garlic Scape
Keene Garlic Scape
Picked Garlic Scapes
Picked Garlic Scapes