Compost, alone, might not do it as garlic is a heavy feeder.

In addition to compost, I amend my beds with bone meal, blood meal, and wood ashes, at the rate of one cup of each per ten row feet. Then, in May, I side-dress with the same amendments.

It's also important that you keep the beds as weed-free as possible. And that the plants get plenty of sunlight during the bulbing period.

Spacing can have an effect as well. You might try opening them up, planting on six inch centers, and see if that helps.

Thanks! Maybe sunlight is the problem.....my typical place for growing it only gets a few direct hours a day. This fall I'm going to try it in a more sunny spot.

And I'll also do more on the feeding.

Thanks!

If you think about it, Bart, you'll realize that a bulb is merely a plant's way of storing sunshine.

A case could be made that the single most important contributor during the bulbing period is plenty of sunlight. Adding nutrients helps develop tall, healthy tops. And those green tops, in turn, gather the sunshine that is used to make bulbs.

In addition to sun, they need nutrients. Mine gets side-dressed in spring with 10-10-10 but you could use something like Espoma if you are in to organic gardening.