hello?

Sorry I have been harvesting garlic all week and haven't had much time to post. so I hope this helps. We grow more than a 100 lbs a year so I think I can answer your questions.
Does that mean it's too old? It probably could have been harvested earlier but don't worry elephant garlic can keep a year with the cloves completely exposed. We always get some like that every year.
ok now what do I do? How much soil should I try to get off them? How short do I snip the roots (if at all?) And is this cardboard (in the shade) an ok place to cure them?

Clip the roots leave about1/2 to 1/3 inch and brush of anyloose dirt. You can hang them or clip the stalks off now. Here in our humidity we find they cure better if the stalks are cut off but in CA you shouldn't have to worry about that. If you cut of the stalks place them in a rack or basket that gets good air curculation. If you have one (I can't tell from the picture ) that is one solid clove they are great for seed.
Pick other large cloved heads to plant and eat the rest!
They are great in vegetables and roasted . I always save one head for my thanksgiving turkey I let it roast in the cavity!
Hope this helps
The Garlic Lady

GarlicLady, thank you so much for the reply!

Humidity? It's currently 100%!

I woke up this morning at 6:30 am (a full 6 hours before my alarm was set to go off--we work nights) hearing the rain falling.... I couldn't go back to sleep until I got that garlic moved inside. We're having a very strange year.

One whole head inside the cavity? oh my. Now I can't wait 'til Thanksgiving! :-)

Thorspippi,
Sorry I missed your posting. Have been busy. My elephants look just like yours this year. Must be connected to the very mild winter and long wet spring. Like yours, the leaves never did dry. I finally checked a bulb and quickley jerked the buggers. The splitting or division of the bulbs is caused by too much water late in the growth. Can't turn off the rain. The same thing happened two seasons ago when a tube came loose and flooded around a few elephants. Those bulbs opened or "split".
I see that you removed the scapes. I usually leave a few for the blooms but those bulbs are about 25-30% smaller on average. Rub the dirt off. Try not to wash them. Hang them in bunches of 6 or 8.
All of Garlic Lady's information is right on.

Coho, thanks for the confirmation about the splitting! Does it reduce flavor, or just look funky?

I have them neatly set on a wire shelving unit **indoors**, cuz of the rain we had a couple days ago (!), and the fact that it's >50% humidity today. Goodness sakes. I think we've been moved to the midwest without being told!

thorspippi,
Not a neat appearance, but quite eatable. Or save those for replanting. Thats what I usually do.

decisions decisions