Snipping the garlic off was probably the big mistake. Free advice is often worth just what you pay for it. I am in zone 6B, MA, and my October planted garlic always starts growing before the first frost and snow. They come up right through their six to eight inch mulch of straw (hay, if I can't get straw) and survive lots of snow and winter cold. It is a tough plant. They do not grow very much during these cold months but pick up again in the Spring and are quite robust plants before you know it. In about thirty years of growing garlic(also in raised beds) the only problems I have experienced dealt with late harvesting/storage issues. But that's another problem. Hope this helps.

I've never heard of cutting garlic at the base, and I suspect that is the root of your problem.

Early September is too early and will lead to excessive top growth before the ground freeze. Most New England farmers in zone 5 plant garlic around mid-October. In NJ and here in VA (both zone 7a) I plant garlic in the first half of November. The idea is to allow about five weeks of root growth before ground freeze, but little or no top growth above the mulch. Some top growth exposed to winter cold and snow is okay, even if the growth curls and appears to die, as new growth will start again in March.

I suggest a later start this year, and cover with about 3-4" of a loose mulch. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer at the time of planting, and again with a higher nitrogen fertilizer in March, April, and early May, then stop. You want to encourage healthy top growth, which will then feed bulb development starting in June. Garlic also likes abundant sunshine.

I mulch at the time of planting to retain moisture and protect against excessive cold, and leave the mulch on all year to suppress weeds. Garlic laughs at cold and snow, so I doubt this was part of your problem.

TomNJ/VA

Thanks! Okay, I'll start it much later and no more clipping!!

Thanks!

Just as a comparison for you, my farm is on the edge between zone 3b and 4a. It was my first year planting garlic as well but I waiting till mid October to plant (which was a couple weeks before frost). We still had snow on the ground till end of April but they sprouted well once it was gone.
My Music is almost ready to have their scapes cut and Susan Delafield is not too far behind. My Khabar, French Rocamboles, and German Red are quite a bit behind but I do see them producing scapes.
Good luck!!!

Oh and also I didn't mulch but they had great snow cover.

Thanks Mrs. Winter! I have no scapes :0(. they're alive but I think next year i'll do better.

Someone told me that I planted much too early, and to snip the plants down to the base
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That has been the mistake.
Garlics are like winter wheat. They grow some green top and by that establish root system befor they go dormant. That is when the energy in the seed clove is spent. From there on(in the spring) the leaves working with the root system will run the engine, by photo synthesis and drawing nutrients from the soil.