Hi Quirkpod, I have just pruned off my scapes per the instructions that came with my bulbs. This is a portion of an article I found online. Hope this helps! HARVESTING Many people make a big mistake at this point. They wait too long to harvest. Keeping garlic in the ground beyond a certain point does not result in bigger bulbs, but rather dried out, split and nearly useless ones. When to harvest? When the lower third to half of the leaves have turned brown, but there are still mostly green leaves higher on the plant, it's time to harvest. Others suggest harvesting when the hardneck scapes are standing straight up but before the pods containing the bulbils open up. You can always test dig one or two plants. You should be able to see the shape of the cloves beginning to bulge through the wrapper. On the High Plains, depending on the weather, harvest can begin as early as the first week of July. There is also a two to three week difference in the harvest dates of the several varieties. So watch you plants carefully. To get the bulb out of the ground, don't just try to pull them. The stalk will break. You must dig, using a pitchfork or the like in order to loosen the soil. Then you can lift the entire plant out of the ground. Don't let the bulb stay in the sun very long as it will sun scald, which reduces its quality. For our larger fields here at Yucca Ridge our very clever neighbor Bob has modified an ancient potato picker which actually does an excellent job at extracting the plants. (It really helps to move in next to a guy who likes to weld things and is so clever he makes you feel quite inferior, which of course you can't admit to him....... why am I getting into this?) Incidentally, many people wonder if the scapes should be cut in order to increase bulb size? For elephants the answer is definitely yes. For hardnecks, yes appears to be the correct answer also, although some varieties seem less affected by leaving the scape attached. Cut them generally just before the scape has fully extended (or the coils in the Rocamboles have started uncurling). When still young, the scapes are considered good eating by some.

Alberta - I have had real bad luck moving daylilies when it is hot. They really struggle and I have lost a few. If you can wait until fall, it would probably serve them better. Rita lives on LI too, so maybe she can speak to this better - as she lives in the same area.

Hi Caryn, Where you live your immediate problem will be digging up the frozen ground. Besides being frozen rock hard, (got a jackhammer?) you won't be able to feel around through loosened dirt with your hands to gently find the bulbs and roots. Breaking apart frozen soil will snap off the roots. The bulbs will still grow, (afterall spring ordered bulbs won't be mailed out for a couple months) but blooming will be set back and possibly reduced (as the bulb uses energy to grow new roots). But since you're moving you'll have to dig them up as carefully as you can under the circumstances. I'd try to dig up a LARGE circle around them, and haul the frozen soil into a moderate temperature area (say garage or basement), let it thaw out and then separate the bulbs from the excess soil. But don't keep them warm (above 40-50) for too long. Your bulbs have adapted to cold temperatures for awhile now, you want to be sure they don't "think its spring" and start sprouting. Are you moving some place in the same zone (with ground just as frozen)? If so, and the ground in your new garden is unworkable refrigerate the bulbs in some just moist peat moss until you can get them back into the ground. Right now MA is probably under some snow and cold temps. I'd wait for the first somewhat warm spell (40's and up) which will make planting them a lot easier but won't induce spring growth. Like Riz says you should watch for sprouts, just in case, but in your area (its probably been in the 20's at night) they probably haven't started much, if any, sprouting growth at this time. But it doesn't hurt to be careful. The east coast was so unseasonably warm just a few weeks ago, my snowdrops already bloomed and my daffodils are up 4 inches. Who knows what those lilies were doing! Good Luck :) -Helen

DonÂt worry about the daffodils: I moved some last year right after blooming and before foliage yellowed because IÂ Âneeded to move some lilies before those got too far along! The lilies took priority. As it turned out the daffodils didnÂt miss a beat, even though most sat in a tray until the new place was ready. They are up in force now and look no different that ones that were planted with more care as to timing. The lilies are pickier, so I agree, get them moved. Carefully. They will reward you and your daughter! I planted Mona Lisa myself last spring and am really looking forward to seeing it!