Garlic greens vs green garlic vs garlic scapes

Garlic greens vs green garlic vs garlic scapes: three names that sound alike, come from the same plant, and land in very different places in a growing plan. Here is what each one is and which ones you can grow in a Kratky jar.

Garlic greens

The young leaves that grow from a single planted clove, cut while tender. They are the fastest garlic harvest, usually ready in about two to three weeks, and a clove gives two or three cuts before its stored food runs out. Kratky friendly: yes, this is the easiest Kratky garlic crop. See Kratky garlic greens.

Green garlic

A whole young garlic plant pulled before it has divided into cloves. It looks like a thick scallion, with a mild garlic flavor through the white base and leaves. Garden growers often pull it when the stalk is about as thick as a pencil. Kratky friendly: yes, if you plant a full clove in a larger container and grow it for a couple of months. Every plant from a garlic bulb crop passes through this stage, so thinning a crowded bin gives you green garlic.

Garlic scapes

The curling flower stalks that hardneck garlic sends up before the bulb is finished. Only hardneck garlic makes them; softneck rarely does. Growers cut them when they curl, both because they are delicious and so the plant puts energy into the bulb. Kratky friendly: only as part of a long hardneck bulb crop. See garlic varieties for hydroponics.

And garlic chives?

Garlic chives are a different plant, Allium tuberosum: a perennial herb with flat, garlicky leaves that regrow after every cut. If you want garlic-flavored leaves for months from one jar, they beat garlic greens. See Kratky garlic chives.

Garlic greens, green garlic, scapes and garlic chives compared

Garlic greens	From a clove, about 2 to 3 weeks, 2 or 3 cuts
Green garlic	Whole young plant, a couple of months, one harvest
Garlic scapes	Hardneck flower stalk, months into a bulb crop
Garlic chives	Separate perennial herb, cut every few weeks