Planting garlic.

[pinksky]

Garlic should be planted in November. Not any earlier. They don't like it too wet and they need to be planted firmingly in the ground, but only half way down. The pesky birds will be lifting them up so you'll have to firm them in regularly till they've rooted Also, keep it weed free and by July you'll be rewarded with big fat bulbs.

[BUFFS]

I planted some cloves last year in a tub, when I lifted them this year they were smaller that a tennis ball but no cloves

I had the same problem, and it was because we had a chilly winter, but needed some colder temps to trigger the cloves to split the bulb, so mine have gone back in, I reckon we could be in line for a bitter winter looking at the way the autumn has gone here, I hope so as I love the clean icy cold instead of the constant (seems like it) drizzle of the past month or so..

[4Shoes]

Put them in the Fridge salad drawer for a week or 2 before planting.
Left mine in the packet just to remind HMBO not to cook with it last year.

The wet weather got most of it along with the onions. Going for Spring onions this year. Have a large cloche to use for the garlic.

[Thelma Sanders]

They don't like it too wet and they need to be planted firmingly in the ground, but only half way down.

The Garlic Farm says

Place cloves 3 - 4cm below the surface, root down (pointy end up) 6 inches apart.

Which is what I've always done.
If the tops aren't showing the birds won't be tempted pull them out

[jackarmy]

mine went in pots last week, will go out onto the plot around dec/jan if i dont forget again when their nice and tough

[rary]

Garlic should be planted in November. Not any earlier. .

November is a bit late for planting garlic here

[Mark_Riga]

mine went in pots last week, will go out onto the plot around dec/jan if i dont forget again when their nice and tough

Keep alert for any hard frosts. I lost a crop one winter in pots when they froze solid. The bulbs are not that tough and they turned to mush.