If you planted garlic last fall, this is what your garlic looks like now.
The curly part in the middle is a scape. You must cut them off right where they come out of the main plant. This way the plant will put all energy into growing large bulbs instead of developing a flower.
Don't throw the scapes out! This where the fun begins. All you need is scapes, lemon juice and sea salt (1 tblsp lemon juice and 1 tsp sea salt for every pound of scapes).
Cut the part off the scape where the flower starts. The flower end is woody. Toss that part. Place in a good quality food processor and buzz until a smooth paste is formed. Place in clean jars and push down until you see some brine on the top. If you find you don't have enough brine just make more lemon juice and salt and pour on top. I use grape leaves to keep a ferment covered. Leave on your counter for 4-5 days and then refrigerate. I used the last of my scape paste on appies at Christmas time last year. Very tasty and so easy to make! I will also be fermenting garlic bulbs later this year. Stay tuned!
hey nice post...(please follow and upvote i will do the same for you)
Thanks. Checked out your blog. Interesting stuff there! I am following you too!
Thank you, I did grow garlic this past fall and I had no idea I had to cut it off to produce a larger bulb. But my garlic does not look like yours. LOL mine is one big tall fat stalk. Must be a different species.
I think you are growing softneck (smaller and not as hot a flavour) and I am growing hard neck. I don't know if you should cut the centre stalk off or not. I didn't know there was two kinds. This is just what I found at the Co-op. Just got lucky. Scape paste is so yummy. Sadly, the community garden group has a communal garlic crop and they threw out the scapes because they didn't know they were edible. 😢
Wonderful to see a community garden. We all need to inspire other communities to use and plant at community gardens. Yes there are many species of garlic.
At the community garden in Fredericton, NB I heard the story of an angry man, newly released from jail for a string of petty crimes, etc. He had decided he wanted to garden. Someone took on this scary looking person and helped him learn. Within the year, he had a beautiful garden plot, a new girlfriend and a completely different life. So that is the power of a community garden!
Fredericton is a beautiful town. I am from down east, now living in Ontario. I want to retire back to Cape Breton one day, and build my homestead.
We haven't been to Cape Breton yet. We are planning to move to Texada Island, BC in the next couple of years. We are from the BC lower mainland. Before we go, we will definitely be going to Cape Breton!