The lower leaves have turned yellow or brown
About half to two-thirds of the leaves are still green
The outer wrapper around the bulb feels dry and papery
The bulb has reached full size when gently checked
The scape has curled and straightened, if growing hardneck garlic
The plant tops begin to flop or bend over
The cloves are well formed when a bulb is lightly dug up and inspected
The skins around the bulb are intact and not splitting
The harvest timing is usually when the bottom leaves are dead but the top leaves are still green
The soil around the bulb feels loose and the plant lifts easily