Guess I've been doing this at the wrong time of the year!

Harvesting and Storing Your Garlic
By mid-summer, your garlic will be ready for harvest. You’ll know it’s time when the lower leaves turn brown but the upper leaves are still green. Use a garden fork to gently lift the bulbs out of the ground—don’t pull them up by the stalks, as this can damage the bulbs.
Once harvested, lay the garlic bulbs out in a well-ventilated, dry area to cure for 2–4 weeks. After curing, brush off any dirt, trim the roots, and store your garlic in a cool, dry place. Properly cured garlic can last for months, providing you with flavorful cloves all winter long.
Conclusion: A Simple Trick for a Bountiful Harvest
My aunt’s trick of soaking garlic cloves before planting transformed my garlic-growing experience. It’s a small step that makes a big difference, promoting healthy root development and protecting the cloves from disease. Paired with proper soil preparation, fall planting, and a good mulching routine, this method leads to a garlic harvest that’s larger, more flavorful, and easier to grow.
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If you’re a garlic lover looking to up your gardening game, try this fall planting technique, and you’ll be rewarded with a more abundant harvest next summer!