Not sure what you mean by "red layer split" - if the bulb is forming small individual cloves, then it is time to harvest, also the tops are quite dry. It is a temptation to harvest them early. If you intend to keep them in your kitchen - a braid perhaps, it is best to dry them well once they are pulled. I usually toss mine in a dry spot for awhile, until they are completely ready. Bejay

Abby - I'd wait until the leaves are brown with the only 4/5 green leaves left. For some reason this year, I had some of mine fall over, too. It has never happened before and it was with varieties that I've grown before. I'm not sure how they will do, but I've left them to grow that way. For your zone, I'd say it is too early to have the garlic bulb up. (side note: if you planted in spring, garlic needs to be planted in the fall for our zone). Bellatrix

I'm not sure there is a definitive answer. When I froze my garlic, I did so after the Fall planting was complete (in October). By that point, all cloves were well cured, and presumably lower in moisture. All cloves were peeled & frozen in a zippered freezer bag. As long as the peeled cloves are dry, they won't stick together, and could be removed as needed. That frozen garlic was just OK. The cloves lost quite a bit of their flavor, and did not hold their shape if cooked. I find that dehydration preserves more of the flavor, stores longer without refrigeration, and can be easily ground into fresh garlic powder as needed. I slice the cloves into 1/4" pieces, they dry into very hard chips which hold their shape if added to cooked dishes. I place crushed dried garlic in a pepper mill... fresh ground garlic has the same flavor advantages as fresh ground black pepper. Although I usually peel garlic before dehydration, I've been able to skip that when processing small hard-to-peel cloves, or large quantities. If the root end is cut off & the cloves sliced with skin on, that skin can be shaken off & winnowed away after dehydration.

Krista, did she tell you that they are best planted where they can climb? They did well on my fence. (that might open up some more space for you) They can grow on the ground just fine, but the squash tend to be more curly q that way and they can take up a lot of space. You might be able to inter plant as well, Get the seeds in the ground and germinating while you are waiting on the garlic to finish.