http://durgan.org/2017/June%202017/13%20June%202017%20Garlic%20Scapes/HTML/ 13 June 2017 Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are forming on the hard neck garlic. They are the curly snake like tentacles on which the seed called bulbils form. The scapes may be cut off and eaten. There is a view that removing the scapes makes the garlic bulb larger, but I have seen no evidence of this.
Harvest is usually the first week of July in my Zone 5, but I no longer do this. The scapes are left on and the garlic is allowed to grow until the bulbs start to break the covering, then it is harvested. I have found the bulbs get larger if the scapes are not removed and bursting of the bulb covering in no way reduces the storage life. Seeds (bulbils) are harvested when they form at the end of the scapes. Usually one scape produces numerous (100) seeds.
