Growing garlic for the first time

Garlic bulbs form below ground and it can take up 8 months till they are ready for harvesting, so you are looking toward mid August, they are not like onions where you wait till the leaves die back, though when a 3rd. to half the leaves have turned you should harvest, personally I gently remove some soil, without disturbing the roots, from around the bulb and if it's big enough I harvest hard neck garlic are considered hardier than soft neck but don't store as well, though I have never noticed any great difference