Just judging by the size of the capsules at the end of the scapes, it looks like these have already curled and then straightened out so I'd definitely cut them - if not I's wait until they start to curl. I usually remove them after they make the first U part of a curl.

That is elephant garlic (Right?) and yes I would get them now if you havent already. Elephant scapes never curl but do put on a beautiful lavender flower.
I will start havesting some of my hardneck garlic scapes this week. I harvest them before they curl I like to get them when they look like a shepards hook. My elephant hasn't stared scaping yet. Elephant is harder to decide since there is no curl . I usually harvest when they are 10 inches or more. If you break them off to early they will continue to grow. Elephant is usually one of the first scapes to show at my house but this year it will be the last it is a spot that gets some shade and I guess they are just a little behind though they are huge this year. All my garlic looks wonderful last yer was so bad that we started over with new seed this year

Ya'll have scapes already huh. I've been waiting for mine to pop up so I can pull them. I spoke to a man a couple years ago about what to do with them. He said to pull them out instead of cutting them. I tried it and it worked better than cutting them...no energy is wasted while the plant tries to regrow the scape. I have found the plant will mature faster when the scapes are pulled out.

Travis

I thought that looked like the elephant garlic I used to grow.
I used to cut them off whenever I got around to it. I *think* that Ron Engeland's book on growing garlic said there were 2 schools of thought on getting rid of these, some thought right away and others like to wait, thinking it had something to do with the keeping qualities of the harvested garlic if done a bit later. That was for real garlic and since the elephant variety is really a leek, I don't know if that would apply. I would say any time would be OK. If you are going to grow every year you may want to keep a diary on it and see which works better for you and your area?

This is my first season with onions, shallots, and garlic. I was told by a local farmer to pinch off the garlic scapes for bigger bulbs. The energy goes to producing bulb not seeds.I planted the garlic last fall,it is beautiful. I planted onion and shallot sets this spring. The onions are starting to send up flower buds. Does anyone know if this is true with onions and shallots? Should I not let those flower either?

If the onions bloom they won't produce bulbs. Pull the ones that start to flower and use them for green onions.