Here is what I do in zone 7 you maybe a little earlier
. In May and early June flower stalks (scapes) appear. Break the scapes off at their base. All hardneck garlic scapes should be broken off when they begin to curl. Elephant garlicÂs scapes will not curl so break them off as soon as you can. Flower stalks appear on hardneck varieties and Elephant Garlic. Remember the scapes are edible so donÂt throw them away!

Harvest: Not all garlics are ready at the same time. Some varieties are ready before others and some smaller bulbs may be ready before larger ones with in a variety. Harvest garlic when 40% of the leaves are brown. Try to harvest when soil is dry. You may be able to pull up the hardneck varieties if the soil is loose. Use a potato fork to dig up softneck varieties and elephant. Shake off loose dirt (donÂt wash).
Curing- Cut off the root leaving about ½ inch. Tie in bundles of 4-5 plants and hang in a dry, airy place out of direct sunlight. You cure for 4-6 weeks or you may eat fresh. The taste is usually better after curing. When cured the neck may be cut about ½ inch above the bulb. Keep the best for planting next year. DonÂt break apart bulbs until you are ready to plant.