Last Updated on September 12, 2026
Garlic Scapes: What They Are and When to Harvest Them
It is late June in my New England zone 5 garden and the hardneck garlic (Chesnok Red, grown from cloves) is a few weeks from harvest. Before the bulbs come out, the plants do one more thing: they send up scapes. Here is what a scape is, why I cut most of them, and why I leave a few.
What a garlic scape is
The scape is the flowering stalk that hardneck garlic sends up from the top of the plant. It curls as it grows. At the tip is an umbel, and if you leave it on for several weeks it will fill with small seed-like bulbils, anywhere from 50 to 100 depending on the variety.
Why I cut most of them
Left on, the scape pulls energy into making bulbils instead of into the bulb underground. Cut it and that energy goes into a larger head of garlic. That is the main reason to harvest scapes. The second reason is that they are delicious: a mild, delicate garlic flavor. I use them for garlic scape hummus, in stir fry, and straight on the grill.
Why I leave a few
I leave a couple of scapes on to flower and set bulbils, because I want more garlic and I have the garden space for it. Planted the following year, bulbils grow into small garlic “rounds” (single small bulbs). Replant a round and the year after you get a proper divided bulb. It is a slow way to multiply your garlic without buying more seed garlic, and it costs nothing.
How to harvest scapes
Simple: hold the scape near where it meets the stalk and pull gently upward. It snaps off cleanly. Harvest when the scape has made one full curl and is still tender. Older, straightened scapes get woody.
After the scapes: getting the bulbs ready
Once the scapes are off, I shut the water off on that bed and watch the bottom two leaves. When they turn brown, the bulbs are ready to pull. That is usually a few weeks after scape harvest here.
Related: How to Grow Garlic (ultimate guide) · Harvesting and Curing Garlic for Long-Term Storage. Seed source I used: Big John’s Garden, organic Chesnok Red bulbs.
