Garlic Scapes !!!!! I am so excited

[HunkieDorie23]

This is my first year for garlic and today I went out to water (I can't believe after all that rain I am now water) and I have several garlic scapes. If I want to use them to eat how long do I leave them on? I am planning on leaving some on to get bulbils but I want to let some of my garlic produce bigger bulbs too.

Another question. I have been weeding everyday but my garden is 3500 sq ft and please I am only one person... anyway I have my northern whites, inchelium red and metechi weeded and looking good but my spanish rojo is weed infested. So I pulled the weeds from around the bulbs, put down some compost and then covered the area with 2-3 layers of newpaper around the bulbs, and watered well. Is this OK, I hate being this lazy but it is what it is.

My northern white and metechi are so much bigger than my spanish rojo and I know it is because of the weeds. The weeded ones are the ones producing scapes as well not the spanish.

 

[lesa]

Are the scapes curling? I usually cut mine off, when they are curling. Most of mine are ready at the same time...Don't get too excited like I did last year. I made a bunch of garlic scape pesto and froze it- only to decide, we really didn't like it!!!
I prefer them in a stir fry situation.
Your plan for weeding will help. You can only do, what you can do! All that rain certainly made for healthy and abundant weeds!
Enjoy your scapes!

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Curling into a U or do they curl into more of a spiral? I have several U's. I was going to use them a lot like regular garlic. Saute them into sauces or through them with meat or chicken. Pesto is a little advance for me. I could use them in place of garlic in pesto but not as a main ingredient.

 

[Reinbeau]

Pick them at the U stage, they'll be nice and tender that way!

 

[HunkieDorie23]

K going out to give them a look. Thanks

 

[hoodat]

I have two rows of garlic chives (The Chinese type with edible blossom stems). I'm eagerly awaiting their blooms.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Ok, did a bunch of reading and found one web site that talked about using the bulbils. It stated that you can also crush the bulbils and then dry them and use them as a minced dry garlic. Also that you can use them fresh in food like garlic and that they are excellent so I haven't cut any yet. I hope I am not sorry.