After looking at your pictures, I would say that you could harvest now as the heads you showed were fully formed with excellent clove definition and nice size. They could probably go a week or two longer if you're brave. I saw that the base stalk was still upright and strong and not laying down and darker brown and wet. When that happens you're in danger of having the stalk come apart from the head when you try and harvest. The second sign I saw was that the scape pods were not yet bursting. I always leave 2-3 scapes in a section to act as warning signs for me that I am letting something stay in too long. When that scape pod bursts, get the heads out of the ground.

So, you look to have a very nice harvest coming and just when to pull is up to you.

Looks like they are ready. Your bulbs will not get any larger in a week or two. I agree with garlic fiend that they appear fully formed with great clove definition. If you wait any longer you run the risk of the bulbs splitting and or loosing some bulb wrappers therefore sacrificing shelf life. The first year you plant you usually do not get very large bulbs. It usually takes around three years for them to acclimate, so save some seed for next year. Also size depends on your soil etc. Did you get seed stock locally? That also plays a role in development, the closer your seed stock is to you the better. Hopes that helps.

Thank you both for the helpful advice.

It decided to rain so I will wait until things dry up to harvest. Or is it Ok to harvest when the soil is wet?

I bought my seed from gourmetgarlicgardens.com, so not locally, but chose the option from them to buy ones that would grow best in my zone/climate.

Yeah, I probably did not have the best amended soil, but I grew it as an experiment, so much to learn.

Can you explain a little more about the three year acclimation, I don't fully understand.

Thanks again

People claim that garlic "adapts" to a zone over three years; that is to say that the largest heads and best average sizes will not be achieved until three years because the garlic is adapting to your specific climate and soil. I slightly disagree.

Every year I take the best cloves from the biggest heads and replant those. So, I am choosing the reproduce only the biggest and strongest. That's kind of like natural selection, but I am doing it myself. My judgement says what will work not survival of the fittest in nature. Every year I am also learning more about planting, amending, tending and harvesting.

So, I would say that after about three years, a typical garlic (fiend) grower would have done selection and experience to a level where most of the garlic that he or she is planting will achieve close to its genetic potential. I do not believe that the garlic itself changes, only which cloves are reproduced and which are eaten.

Thanks again for the insight. I will keep this in mind should I plant garlic again. I'll save those big heads. I only have so much space and so many other things I want to try growing. So only time will tell.

Thanks