I'm not an expert on garlic. I usually cure mine on the front porch, where they get good air circulation, but are out of the sun (and any rainstorms that pop up).

E. Smith's Vegetable Gardener's Bible says the curing process can take as long as two weeks, until the skins are completely dry and the necks are tight.

R. Engeland, in Growing Great Garlic, says some commercial growers leave it in the sun for several days. Engeland says it's a bad practice, but if commercial growers do it, I doubt you completely ruined your crop. Engeland says it's best for it to cure at a fairly consistent temperature.

Consider it an experiment. (A good deal of my gardening ends up being "experimental.") Note which ones these were, and compare these with the rest of them in taste, texture, storage, etc.

Hope it turns out well.

And I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgot what varieties were where in the garlic beds. :)

Well two weeks later hanging in the garage, I'd say about half the bulbs are curing well, mostly the big ones, and half feel soft. When I break up the soft bulbs, the peeled cloves have sort of a translucent appearance and a mild roasted-garlic flavor. One clove was opaque on the bottom and translucent on the top, and the opaque part had a good strong bite. I'll use these bulbs up. Shame, this was the soft-neck garlic that's supposed to store longest. The rest of my garlics, still in the ground, are hard necks. I won't make the same mistake with them. Maybe garlic can be cured in the sun, but maybe not so well in Maryland when it's 95 degrees!

Yeah jemini you cooked 'em.We have all done it,but it was less the heat than the direct sun.A post above mentioned "Growing Great Garlic" by Ron Engeland, read it and then read it again year after year. I read it every year before planting ,before harvest and when it sprouts in the early spring.I seem to learn something new or forgotten every time,that is if one wants to be succesful.Its a small price to pay when you're growing a lot of garlic.