@larry_stewart actually, it won't be real soon - sometime in the middle of May. I think the size of these now had me distracted - usually they don't get this large this quickly. Many years ago, they weren't even getting started much, until about a week into March, and I would set up my drip lines after they would be about maybe 6", at the most, 2 or 3 weeks into March! But there's no global warming.
I remember early on, when I was first growing garlic, I read that cutting the scapes from the garlic, as soon as they would appear, would give larger heads, then I read that letting the scapes turn hard and woody, and reaching straight up, before cutting off (and these are obviously not edible, but this was before scapes were very popular), the garlic would store much longer. I did some experiments, and didn't notice much difference either way, so I let them get to edible size, then cut them.
Inn the past, its was almost tradition for us to harvest our garlic on July 4th ( then watch the hot dog eating contest). A few years back I was forced to pick them a few weeks earlier due to drainage issues causing some to start rotting earlier. Now , comes mid June, I keep a very close eye on them. Sometimes even selectively harvesting a few (That may look like something is starting to go on) as a ' test harvest' . If they look good, I just go for it. Its possible they may get bigger with the few extra weeks, but after that one year of almost loosing 1/3 of what planted, or at the very least, the quality was poor, id rather get a lot of slightly smaller bulbs that store well, than risk getting ones that are stating to goo bad and have to be used immediately.
Years ago, garlic was a 'no brainer' crop. Toss them in the ground in October. didn't;t mulch, didn't fertilize, don't worry ... Then pick them on the 4th of July. They were healthy, huge and extremely predictable. Now, although I get a good harvest, I am paranoid about them getting water logged after those few bad experiences.
* I didn't notice any differences with the varieties , just the location planted.
***Im apologizing in advance for the details below***
Scapes/ Bulb Harvest Dates:
2018 Scapes picked June 11, Garlic harvested July 3rd
2019 June 12, July 7th
2020 June 6th, July 4th ***But on June 24th, noticed the leaves getting dying off significantly earlier than the past. This was the year they were drainage issues and 1/3 the top was sub par.
2021 June 1 noticed the leaves dying off significantly early agin 9 but those in the raised bed seemed ok) June 7th harvested the poor drainage bed, June 8th the scapes, June 13th harvested the rest ( because I was paranoid and figured better something than nothing. Amended soil for following year.
2022 June 1, again noticed a few getting that unusuall leaf browning. Picked those to find the internal part of the garlic, where the stalk was, rotting. June 5th scapes, June 22 Harvested the garlic. better than previous few years, but made a big note to relocate the garlic to raised beds, as those did much better.
2023 June 12 Picked all the scapes, June 27 Garlic picked. Minimal issues
Noticed scapes forming:
2018 Didnt keep record , but they started curling June 6th
2022 June 2
2021 May 25
2020 May 23
2019 May 21
2023 May 21
Planted for the following year:
2018 - October 17th ( Music, Montana)
2019 - October 23rd (German, Music, Montana)
2020 - October 17th (German, Metechi, Music, Montana)
2021 - October 16th ( Music, Montana, German)
2022 - October 16th (German (large and jumbo sized cloves)
2023 - October 18th (German, large cloves )
***Sorry for the details, it's in my blood ***
), I also direct seeded some herbs (dill, cilantro, and parsley, again), and greens (a couple brassicas, and the lettuce). I also planted a clump of marjoram - something I had in a Jr EB on my back porch, along with a cutting of the Syrian oregano, both of those I had, along with that rooted rosemary, just in case it got excessively cold, and killed the outside plants. The marjoram outside didn't even die back, winter was so mild, and this cutting spread to about a 6" cluster, and when I removed it from the EB, to clean out the soil, and top it off, I just dropped this in a pot, under the table I was working on out there last weekend, and it grew even more, with all that rain! I hate to throw anything like that away (and nobody I know would use that), so I just planted it in an area I will let it spread as a weed, like that area I have all those garlic chives in! 
