This is some of my garlic in one of my 3 gardens. I've already started to harvest my garlic in my other gardens. This one, just a couple of miles further inland, are a bit slower than the gardens closer to the shore. As you can see the leaves are starting to turn brown. Once 1/2 the leaves are dead it's time to start harvesting them. The stick you see is separating the different types i have in this bed. On the left is the music garlic, on the right is the german red. I want to know which is which so i can save some for seed garlic for next year. It makes a difference cause the music stores a while longer than the german red does, though the german red is one of my favorite garlics. It's flavor is warm and rich and though it only stores about 6 months, it's well worth growing. To harvest, i dig down with a trowel to loosen the soil and gently pull out the garlic. I brush off most of the dirt, but leave the leaves on. You do this because the energy in the leaves will go into the garlic bulb and help them cure. To cure the garlic, leave them in an airy place, out of direct sunlight for 4-6 weeks. Garlic gets its best flavor after curing, it's also much easier to peel. Dry your garlic in a single layer, don't pile them on top of each other, that will not allow good air flow which is what you want. Once the stalks are dried, and dead, you can cut them off. Store garlic in a dry cool place for best storage results. Hard neck garlics do best in cold climates, they don't generally store quite as long as softnecks do, but they're easier to grow. I generally grow 2 to 3 types of hardnecks and one softneck for use later on in the year. I'll talk more about planting and what types to grow when i prepare to plant next years crop in mid october.