Specifically: Fall planted two varieties (from farmer's markets) -- a _large_ (grocery store sized head) and a smaller one. All sprouted in March. The smaller one's results were absolutely dismal - they did little more than grow 5 or 6 inches before browning/dieing. Harvest near nil.
The large ones were very heartening, nice tall multi leaf stalks about 18"-24". They began setting flower stalks late May - I cut them off before any real flower activity just below the "bud". They continued to look good for a few weeks and then began turning brown. Some faster than others. I tried pulling a couple when half-brown -- very meager heads (if any, some were just the single clove). Today I pulled one that was all brown & had 4 cloves but shows late harvest separation. I've got a few in teh ground that look all brown --but the center of the main stalk shows some moist green center so I'll leave those till I hear from you guys.
There is one stalk, no leaves -- but the flower stalk has a significant oblong bulge about 1/3 the way up and is still quite green. I suppose this is good -- or some sort of body snatcher.

Please, any advice, wisdom, thoughts, anything please?