Garlic

First time I've tried growing garlic. A friend gave me a selection of many different varieties (hard- and soft-neck) that she grows in her Seattle garden. In the ground since early November, the leaves are starting to yellow on half the plants. Time to dig! Using a pitchfork I gently loosened the dirt around the plants and lifted the bulbs, tied them into bundles, then hung them in the open garden shed - a shady, airy space.

They will hang there for two weeks, at which time they'll be dry and ready to clean up, trim, and store.

If it weren't for our son, Andrew, I would've missed the garlic scapes! They're the "flower stalks" of the hard-neck garlic plants (although they don't actually produce a flower), and they're edible. If cut when young and tender, they can be sliced into a salad or used as a garnish, much like a scallion. Later, as they mature and toughen, they may be sautéd and served with eggs, or pasta, or greens, or whatever tastes good with garlic.



Here's a recipe for Garlic Scape Pesto that looks interesting.