That's a way garlic tells you it's ready.I was overjoyed to discover I'd grown my best crop yet — only to watch the bulbs go mouldy in my kitchen a couple of months later because I hadn't cured them properly after harvest.Yet another lesson learnt: freshly picked garlic needs to hang somewhere shady, dry and well-ventilated for at least a fortnight to harden the skins and seal the bulbs for storage.I salvaged what I could and froze edible cloves in their skins, where they lasted for months and kept me in homegrown garlic for the rest of the year.My 2025 harvest — cured properly this time, fingers crossed — is currently carefully stored in my pantry And my 2026 cloves have just gone in the ground.Source locally adapted seed garlic, which often grows better in your specific climate and conditions