Too early for scapes here. Catch them young. Soon they will get woody so once cut down tight to the stem, taste a small slice. It should be tender like fresh asparagus. I use them as I would use garlic or green onions. In a veg sauté, pizza topping, succotash, soup. They freeze ok but I use those for stock. If they go a bit woody I freeze those for stock with leek green tops.

Pick them tender. I'll add in garnish for salads, stirred into eggs, as a small batch of quick pickles... tender scapes are good stuff.

I've read that you cut them at the first curl. Which I interpret to be like your first photo.

The theory for cutting the scapes is that you want the plant to put it's energy into making bulbs and not seed. Never tested the theory as I have always remove the scapes.

Nine garlic bulbs wouldn't last long here either! I planted over 100 cloves last fall. Ran out one year and was stuck having to buy garlic from the grocery. Nice fat looking bulbs but they were made up a a LOT of teeny tiny cloves. After that experience, I make sure that I plant plenty!

Cilantro, I also planted 100 cloves last fall and they are doing well, but not at the "scape" stage yet. It never seems to be "plenty", though, I always use it all up and wish I'd have planted more.

2many, I'd be picking those scapes, as said, they do get woody. I like them small and tender, sliced up and used like green onions, and one year I pickled them. I add them to potato salad and use them in soup and I even made pesto with them, which I froze in small containers and haul out to use as needed.

This was last year's garlic scapes, I've been watching for them, but I haven't gotten any this year yet. I grow Music, it was suggested by Michigan State University and does extremely well here.

The pesto froze well too, the first year I've done that:

Lucky you, enjoy them!

Annie

Thank you everyone for your help and ideas on how to use them! I waded out in the rain this morning and snipped 3 of the scapes - took a nibble at the thick cut end and it was indeed tender like raw asparagus and so delicious! I've only one more to harvest, sadly, so I think I'll make pesto with it, add some basil, and use it on pizzas and whatever else I have enough for!

I sure appreciate everyone telling me to cut them now, as I feel they'd have been tough and stringy had I waited for a full circle curl. I did try the bloom end - tough and not the same flavor. I'll freeze those for stock : )

DH sees those 9 plants and thinks they should last me all summer... ha! He doesn't pay attention to my cooking. I doubt our garden will have enough room for 100, but I know I would use them all! Next year I'll be planting all hard necks for those scapes!

Sleevendog, I though of you as I watched one preparation: sliced thin, dried in a dehydrator, whirled in a spice mill to a fine powder... lovely green scape powder! Something to add to the herbs and spices collection!

Ok, I have what is probably a dumb question. I have or will have maybe 50 or so. Just the 2 of us and husband is very picky, he may refuse to eat them. How do you store them, and how long, in the fridge? Or best to dehydrate or freeze?

Great photo sleevendog... Your dirt is so black and lovely. I wondered if I'd crowded my few together this year, but no. Garlic is just indispensable. You can never have too much.

I tried drying my chives but as I've no dehydrator, I used the microwave. Took forever! They are far better than those you can buy. I've already got a CSO, a sous vide, some other misc. items on my Wish List for later, and now an ice cream maker (thanks to annie1992's raspberry choco ice cream)... I don't know if I can make room for a dehydrator!

sleevendog, your garlic bed is lovely! I'm still recouperating from the 2016 hardneck failure, this years bed is a plant out of softneck that survived. I'm hoping to find a vendor or two at the local farmers markets that got some good hardnecks so I can get started with those again.

My household is around the 100-150 mark too. I'm not sure if I grew all hardneck and no softneck, if that would be enough scapes for us. 2015 was plush, and they disappeared into fresh eating and a few jars of scapes before I could even get around to trying to freeze or dehydrate them, lol.

If I had enough scapes, I would dehydrate them before freezing. Freezer space is at more of a premium here, and I dehydrate a lot.

I waited until the first full curl last year and I didn't find mine woody. I love garlic scapes - they're actually a big part of the reason I grow garlic! I usually make pesto out of them or cut them up as part of a stirfry.

I appreciate the help. He does like garlic, and probably would like scapes since sometimes garlic gets too harsh for him. Can't use it for pesto, or at least would have to sneak it in where the color is disguised. If it is green, or resembles the look of a vegetable, he won't eat it. Except for potatoes in any form.

Scape soup. It is good. Just google the recipe.

I've also pickled garlic scapes, but since I'm not a big consumer of pickles, it was kind of a waste. Well, it wasn't, because Elery ate them all, but I didn't eat many...

My garlic just got hoed tonight, and now it looks better, so I'll post a picture. (grin)

The raspberries are in front of them, you can see one cane in the foreground. Asparagus on each side...

Annie

So, I'm looking at your garden 2Many and feeling like we should play "name those background plants":) Fun stuff in there!

ci_lantro -- " Nice fat looking bulbs but they were made up a a LOT of teeny tiny cloves." THIS! Gosh, I hate that:)

After seeing these pics, I may have to allot some very valuable garden space to try next year.

Annie -- Will you need to cover your raspberries from the birds?

CathyinSWPA

Sleevendog and Annie... Showoffs... : D

I do envy your raspberries, Annie. My blackberries got torn out, and I'll miss them terribly this year. I hope to add blueberries someday, and replant the blackberries (DH hates the bushes), but raspberries don't do well here from what I read.

Ok, brace yourselves.

The world's smallest haul of garlic scapes and making pesto:

I added a basil leaf. Toasted my piñon nuts. Grated parmesan. Don't be overwhelmed by all those scapes.

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Mini food processor. Olive oil, salt, fresh pepper. I've never had so little in my little food processor.

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I know what you all are thinking: "What is she gonna do with ALL THAT Scape Pesto?". One tiny bag is for pizza, the other is for pizza or something. That little dab in the KFC slaw container (so handy to put veggies in DH's lunch so don't knock it) is for spreading on provolone and crackers as an app tonight. Or maybe tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, and pesto as a salad. A small salad.

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I did have a tiny taste. Ok, I had two tiny tastes... Yum! From this point on I will plant only hard necks!

Cathy - I'm so happy you're here on GW, I love your sense of humor and attitude! To the right are chives, to the left is tarragon, at the top is mint (planted in a bottomless planter, keeping it from overrunning the herb garden). I've got other herbs, but they aren't in the pic : ) I do have a ton of thyme, both regular and lemon, and hope to use it on a spatchcock grilled chicken per Sleevendog's comment on another post.

functionthenlook, oh that sounds so good! On a cool fall night, with a chunk of bread. Than you!

2Many -- HA! I missed the tarragon! I love my lemon thyme too.

So, I would show you my wee, wee, wee little baggie of frozen pesto just so that you know I LOVE THAT LITTLE BAGGIE! It is the one thing I NEVER lose in the freezer. And like you, I LABELED it:)

And now that you have "all that scape pesto":) cannot wait to see the great things in store!

Seriously though, I throw a clunk of that pesto in minestrone in the doldrums of winter and it's like I'm transported, I tell you.

Def going to look into these next year -- happy that it was YUM!

CathyinSWPA

Cathy, I planted only 9 (stupidly planted only 4 hard necks!), so even a few would make some pesto, clearly... You know, it'd been good tossed in with your now-banned IP penne and sausage dinner : ) Ok, kidding about the ban... I'm gonna steal that one from you too! Please?

ETA: plant your garlic in the late fall, early winter for larger heads : ) They'll grow a bit, then just sit there until early spring and go bonkers!

Cathy, I have to cover everything to keep anything from eating it, sheesh, it's like a wildlife version of Golden Corral. What you probably can't see from that picture is that the asparagus has a 6 foot fence and right in front of that is a smaller space, about 3 feet wide and maybe 25 feet long, and it's fenced separately. That's where the raspberries are and that's so I can stretch bird netting over top, remove it to pick berries and then roll it back over top. it's like they tell their whole family and all their neighbors that the buffet's open, so I try to stay "closed for business", with varying degrees of success. Right now I'm fighting cutworms in my heirloom tomatoes, and a very nice gentleman on Harvest told me to put two bamboo skewers in the ground, one on each side of the stem. I did that this morning, so we'll see if I've successfully closed that particular feast. (sigh)

2many, the pesto looks delicious, so fresh and green, even if it is small. Like you, I plant garlic in late October, always before Halloween. Just enough time to get a good foothold, then a nice long rest over the winter and mine is ready to harvest by the first part of July. Coincidentally, that's the time of the county fair, so we've gotten a couple of ribbons there. Now it seems like everyone in the county is growing garlic for the fair, that steps up the competition...

Oh, and that ice cream machine? It's small, doesn't take up much room. (grin)

Annie

2Many -- The banned IP post HA! No shame and keeping it real:)! Not kidding when I say I'm inspired to try this garlic stuff. A little dab of that pesto here and there -- I think we'd have some followers here!

Can I apologize for the tangent? Not that I have a habit of doing that or anything:)

I think I see the chicken wire, Annie. And I can really commiserate, particularly with rolling up and down with the bird netting. Sheesh! You feel like you're entering a stockade. I've often thought I'd like to grow berries, but between the birds and chipmunks I'd spend my day on guard duty. I'll be interested to hear your report with bamboo skewers in the ground. Interesting, I've never had a problem with cutworms. That said, I just spent about 15 minutes in a literal "slugfest" -- Not to be too gross, but that slime is literally like plastic HA! So, we have cutworms, birds, slugs, can I mention these guys? First, my garden is like yours, except way, way smaller and we've put fencing underneath boxes to keep out groundhogs. We obviously didn't figure for little fluffs (obviously wondering how to get out:). There is now chicken wire around the base -- looks appalling, but I'm over 50 and don't care anymore:

And these very comfortable, at ease guys -- pic says ~10 a.m. That's about 20 feet from my back door. No fear whatsoever. I'll spare you a pic of the one that died in our yard (jk didn't take a pic of THAT one) HA! Man, the flies were taking off and landing like at an airport.

Back on track == I'm going to bookmark this thread to plant some garlic in the fall 2Many!

CathyinSWPA

I use the short 4inch skewers especially on summer/winter squash. One on each side of the young shoots/seedlings. Very close almost touching. The cutworms cannot wrap themselves around the stalk.

A good way to try garlic is to get a couple large fresh looking organic bulbs from a farmers market or good grocery. You want to plant the biggest cloves. Then every season save the best and biggest to Fall plant increasing your bed amount.

I'm anxious to speed things up so I'm ordering now for the Fall. Just a 1/2 pound from the MainePotatoLady...

Should get me to the amount I need/want.

Cathy, these were on the lawn here too, they really have no fear. We put three of them in the freezer but we haven't made a dent in the population. The problem here is that all the guys "hunt for horns", but the only way to reduce the population is to take the does. With Chronic Wasting disease a couple of counties over, and tubuculosis a few counties north, we can't afford to allow the herd to get so overgrown that they become weak or sick due to lack of food. We do live on the edge of the Manistee National Forest, so we have bears, bobcats, coyotes, a den of foxes living under the pole barn. None of them are big enough predators to take the deer, though, the only predator in my area is human.

And, of course, we have these, I love to watch the eaglets hatch and then learn to fish in the pond. This guy was right outside my window, and although we did buy fish to plant in the pond, I'll share with HIM! He was busily teaching a youngster how to fish and I watched him for about an hour. Now I'm kicking myself for not taking video, I'll probably never see that again. (sigh)

Of course, I also have the normal collection of frogs, turtles and snakes, but I never have a mosquito!

Annie

Amazing Annie, I wanna come live with you. I Can't imagine watching eaglets grow and learn their life's lessons like that.

It can be a mixed blessing though amazing to experience right out the back/front door. I've caught aggressive breeding on the front lawn and have witnessed the birth of two twin Bambi right off my kitchen deck, 20 feet away under the forest canopy. Wild turkeys during mating season is a sight to see. They were all over our roof a month ago but now quiet. Soon we will have moms and flock of chicks everywhere. We no longer put out bird seed except for the front feeder to use it up. And only the last of the suet for the woodpeckers off the deck.

I never tire of it, but have learned when to feed who. We will feed again come late Fall. We are right up against a 50,000 acre state park so control is an issue.

Annie -- Hey, I recognize those guys, Annie! I've wondered if the one that died in my yard actually had CWD, which is quick becoming an issue here too. This has become such a hot button dilemma in our area -- we live in the suburbs and deer have completely adapted (hey, why, you know, forage when I can just casually eat your rhododendron and azalea and everything else -- even deer resistant stuff) My brother is a hunter/bow hunting too, and gets permission from homeowners to hunt on their properties. Again suburbs, and he counted 5+ buck at the base of my hill, and I saw a doe with THREE fawn this spring -- don't know if she was helping a friend. They're everywhere at night, and now move during the day and just boldly look at you with ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR even when I wave, throw, yell. Sorry, rant over.

Cannot. Believe. Your. Bald. Eagle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness, Annie! I would have a long list of things I would share with him just to watch. It's okay that you didn't get a vid -- sometimes it's just important to appreciate the moment! As someone who started gardenweb with the bird forum, I would have been right there with you. What an exceptional opportunity to witness. We went to hawk migration many years ago at Allegheny National Forest and saw seven golden eagles, and I still remember like yesterday. My goodness.

Sleevendog -- Approximately how many plants if I'd order the 1/2 lb? Also, after all this deer talk -- my goodness, are these deer resistant?

Since I've totally derailed this thread (sorry, 2Many) this is what I've been raising for some summers now. You may have seen the milkweed with the fawn. I've seen deer take a swipe or too, but fairly resistant. Had a good year last year:)

2Many -- you may recognize the sterlite container there:)!!!

CathyinSWPA

Nancy, come up any time. I don't see the eagles as much in the summertime, though. Elery's oldest son came to visit last summer and wanted nothing more than to see even one single eagle. Of course, there were none to be found, they appear on their own schedule. That's OK, I'll wait for them. And this year we have TWO nesting pairs, I'm so excited!

Oh, Cathy, I LOVE the Monarchs! I have a patch of open area around the top pond, I've planted pear and plum trees, but I've left a big patch of milkweed for the Monarchs, doing my little piece for their welfare.

The eagles still amaze me. I actually saw five together last winter, there was a road killed deer in the neighbor's field and both adults and three fledglings were all there feasting. Elery didn't realize that bald eagles don't get their white heads until they grow up a bit, the three small ones still hadn't become "bald". It was the most eagles I've ever seen at once.

We also had an American Kestrel that hatched a brood in the old barn last year. It was hysterical to watch them learn to fly, from the barn to the chicken coop to the clothesline posts to the barnyard fence. Flights got longer and then they learned to catch mice. Then they were gone. We had a snowy owl in the barn two winters ago too, just for a few days, then he was gone too.

We also have some nesting sand hill cranes, I told Bud they were pterodactyls and he believed me, I had to confess, LOL.

2many, sorry for going so far off topic. You did make me go check my garlic though, and no scapes yet!

Annie

Cathy, Annie, and anyone, please never apologize for going OT on any of my threads! I love them, they are conversations that are so enjoyable, and I learn so much, as I know others do. I don’t log on to GW on the weekends as I use my PC to post, and it stays ‘shut down’ on weekends : ) But I do read the posts when I take work-breaks, and these from you all and (sleevendog too!), everyone really, had me smiling – sure brightened up my weekend!

I’m going to have to remember those bamboo stakes. I’ve got some holding up my tallest dill, but never thought they’d combat cutworms. Annie, how amazing you’ve gotten ribbons for your garlic! And you’ve such nice wide rows! And yep, I’m going to get that ice cream maker after all is done : )

Sleevendog, gorgeous photo of your garlic drying (I always find your photos so fascinating and beautiful – no matter the subject).

Cathy, your garden in no way looks appalling! It looks so neat! I am completely enchanted that you raise Monarchs!

My herb garden is small, at 10’ x 10’. We are in the suburbs with a small yard, but close to the Smoky Mountains and have hills and fields all around us. The new veggie garden will not be large, and I’ll never have room to plant all I want, or enough garlic to last a year… but not for trying : )

Last week we had 5 doe bouncing (ok, bounding) over field grass to the left of us, and we get wild turkeys too but have never seen them mating…

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The skunks and opossums are a pain for me, rooting around everywhere, leaving huge holes and messes. The bears stay away from our neighborhood (too populated for now but they are fearless due to humans feeding them). We hear coyotes but have yet to see them up although DH often saw them where he lived.

Annie, how great is it to watch the eagles?! We also have them but DH typically sees them first and I never have my camera at hand. We’ve a mating pair from the American Eagle Foundation that often perch just behind our home. There’s an Eagle cam set up by the AEF just 5 minutes away where DH works to watch a nesting pair – this is taped, but was last April. The Eagle watchers form quit a crowd. Those bobbleheads are just adorable!

I love to watercolor, and someday when I have time (maybe 10 years? Naw) I’d love to watercolor every bug and critter in a journal. New this year are red and yellow finches… common, but so pretty.

Ok, scapes... made a tomato, fresh mozz, scape pesto, dill, and chive flower-head salad, with a bit of balsamic drizzled. Yummy : )

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2many, I mentioned it on What's For Dinner, but that is a beautiful salad. Those tomatoes are an orange heirloom, I assume? Like Jubilee, maybe?

Annie

Annie, thank you : ) Honestly, I don't know. Here's the long version of why: I was with an acquaintance who had made it known she didn't care to hear anything ever about cooking or ingredients and "had to drop a friend because her friend talked about cooking to her." - as I said, this is an acquaintance. She has no weight or diet issues, just doesn't care to hear about anyone else in any way. I hear all her 'stuff'. of course! LOL! We went to the farmer's market together that day after she'd gone on and on about the amazing tomatoes. I took one look at the reds she raved about and thought, uh, nope.... I asked, they were hot house. Acquaintance gave me a dirty look, so I grabbed those beautiful tomatoes posted above, asked if they were hot house (of course, not) and that was that. The grower had some I recognized as heirlooms, but I am not familiar enough with them to identify those I picked up.

And have I mentioned lately how much I love this forum, filled with kind, generous, thoughtful, sharing people??!!! : ) : )

BTW, those tomatoes are incredibly tasty - lower in acid than others, nicely fleshy, and just a tad on the sweet side, so I added a bit of balsamic.

Annie -- the Pterodactyl story is just too funny. Would
looooooooove to watch all the raptor going ons at your place. thunk -- a
snowy owl????? Be still my heart, no lie. The fact that you saw Bald
Eagles taking care of road kill is something I would enjoy watching more
than 99.9% than whats on tv (and pretty much anywhere else) It's a bit
of hazard driving with me if there are "flight" issues:) I ask my
husband if he sees "that" and he'll say "Oh, that's a TV (short for
Turkey Vulture)" and laugh, because he has no clue.

I love turkeys 2Many!
Don't you think it is utterly bizarre that they roost in trees HA!
I've never seen them mating, but we did have a rogue guy who was going
after people's wheels (image problems:) My husband wasn't going to
move, and I'm like "are you're kidding me" and grabbed a coat from the
back and began running at the turkey swinging it like a lasso :) not
kidding -- not waiting for a turkey.

Watched the vid of eaglets
and could be such a HUGE TIME SUCK FOR ME! I love this stuff (we have
some popular Peregrines in Pittsburgh) Utterly blows
my mind how
large the talons and beaks of the adult BEs are next to the eaglets.
Would LOVE to watch them hunt! My goodness -- Smoky Mountains as
backdrop -- spending ALL MY TIME OUTSIDE, 2Many. Not kidding. And you
know what, I know people like your "acquaintance," which made me love
your tomatoes even more HAHAHA! BTW, somehow I'm not surprised you have
an artistic streak. That kind of stuff gives energy, doesn't it?
CathyinSWPA

I took this back in 2000 -- tree has been cut down but was used by this
guy, a flicker then a squirrel. I do believe that is one healthy vine
of PI:) Was outside with my brother mimicking a screech call around
dinner, and this guy took a swoop at us. The memory of my brother's
face is still GOLDEN. We both went down. HA!

CathyinSWPA

Last one, I promise (maybe fingers crossed:)

Right off our deck -- Think he's a bit annoyed:)

^^ Oh that is hilarious... and creepy! What is on the antlers? Did he attack something of yours?? You??? Your photo is just lacking red glowing eyes and a foamy mouth - I'd be running for the hills! Deer with attitude!

Love the owl story - that'll teach you to call an owl! Bet your Brother never called another : D Still, we always look back and have a good laugh over these things, don't we?

DH actually gets annoyed at the eagle watchers - they stand in the parking lot with binoculars and he has to wait until they move out of his way. But he gets annoyed if I sit at a green light for a millisecond ; )

And still OT... I think people who enjoy cooking are artists, so it's not a stretch. I've too many hobbies (thus the name) and not terribly good at most, but decent at some. Just not enough time : ) When cooking one uses tools and hands and the mind, creating something from very little to make something enjoyable : ) I think that's also why many of us like to garden, whether it's small scale or large; watching something grow and develop under loving care.

Continuing the 20 tangents -- The Stephen King deer!!!!! :) I hate to say it, but that was a garbage bag! Can you imagine how annoying that was? Looked at me with that "what are you doing in my yard" attitude so I was like, serves you right.

Screech owl was a winner for us, and that call (I'll use a big word for me) so ethereal. My brother literally ducked, head covered -- still laughing now. I'd probably join the parking lot eagle watchers, although I can empathize with your DH -- and confession, I'm like him in the car too HA!

"creating something from very little to make something enjoyable : )" THIS! and also an innate curiosity, inquisitiveness. Which is how we began talking about garlic and ended up talking watercolor:) And I totally agree -- never enough time.

I have to make myself stay inside today (I know you'll understand with your kitchen being in bins) it's a bit out of control in here:)

CathyinSWPA

...and continuing along the tangent : ) Rather embarrassed to say I was an avid Stephen King fan eons ago, and sometimes find myself using quotes from his books without thinking! Ok, not embarrassed. He could tell a story.

Next thing you know, Farmer's Insurance is going to make a commercial about your rabid, garbage bag-destroying deer!

ETA: Wait, they already did!

I hate that when it's so beautiful outside! But then again, Cathy, you did an enormous amount of cooking. I've yet to post last night's dinner on the WFD thread, and will wait I think as desk work beckons (demands) my attention today. Oh, and and I've got to design a small gold fish pond - it's making my head swim. Pun intended : /

Wait, am I losing my mind? Is Houzz messing with me? I coulda sworn you (Cathy) had Salisbury meatballs on the WFD thread, among other things! Yes, I distinctly remember that, and your sourdough bread because I thought how good that would be with the soup I was going to make (and did). It's not there now. And yesterday suddenly an older Ann_T grilled rare prime rib just popped up. Hmph. Maybe I was dreaming....

Good luck getting your kitchen under control : ) Just toss it all into bins. Then hide them.

Ok, I'm e-scape-ing (trying to stay on topic and failing) back to my hobbit hole.

You get the award of the year, 2Many! That Farmer's vid!!! Can I just tell you those are some of the commercials that I actually like to watch? I love that humor and that guy! HA!

And Yes to Stephen King. One of the few authors my husband will read (if things don't happen by like page 2, not gonna happen for him) and there's always at least an element of creepiness by page 2:)

Can't wait to hear about your fish pond (I do hope that goes "swimmingly"), but get that desk work done. Going to see if WFD went Stephen King on my post or maybe I truly did get banned -- one jar of sauce and pfffft -- gone;)

If I'm among the missing for a few days, it's cause I have to clean DD's room (really quite a repository for things not in their place). Maybe I'll try your "bin" practice.

CathyinSWPA

Still OT: Cathy I wish you luck with your DD’s room – I’m assuming she’s archived quite a lot from your comment! I’d loan you some bins but mine are all in use ; )

The goldfish pond: DH and I thought we’d also ‘remodel’ the yard while we’re at it… dumbest idea ever in the midst of all else! Earlier we had to tear it up to take care of a few issues (drainage, overgrown out of hand trees), and just can’t bear it so blank now, so trying to make it semi-attractive until we’ve more time. Guessing all we wish to accomplish (inside and out) will take us 5-8 years of working on weekends, truth be told. DH has selective memory: We built a koi pond, cottage garden, flagstone walkway, benches, arbor, et al 26 years ago at another place but ‘I don’t remember the koi pond’ he says. Until I said I’d handle the goldfish pond and take care of it… and now he remembers it! It’ll be small, no koi, only goldfish and plants. Idea came about because I happen to have a couple water fountain statues not in use and love the sound of trickling water… so relaxing!

Your missing WFD post is back today... I think it's houzz and my pc. Or something : /