So, does it need frost or not?

[SarzWix]

Well, I looked on The Garlic Farm website and they say

Garlic requires a spell of cold weather, generally 1-2 weeks at 0-4C, to prepare itself physiologically for bulb formation later in the year.

They do it for a living, so they must know something!

[Eyren]

I thought I'd read somewhere that garlic needed a month of temperatures below 10C, which in our climate probably coincides with "1-2 weeks at 0-4C"

So I'd say that frosts as such are not needed - just not really warm, mild spring weather either. I've been planting my garlic in February for the last couple of years, since autumn-planted garlic can rot in wet clay soil, and had no problems with it forming new cloves.

[piskieinboots]

This link really explains it... just pick the right sort for your climate and you're laughing, apparently!

[LizyDrippin]

I have garlic growing, I didn't plant it this year, just didn't get it all out last year , I ended up with a good crop of potatoes last year by the same method

I had mixed results last year, some split and some stayed whole, I actually liked the the single non split bulbs, it saved alot of peeling