Dear Diane, We are also growing garlic. In Z5a they can stay all year long in the ground, they survive, severe winters too. I personally find that if they grow 2 years in the ground we have bigger heads of bulbs. The technology says garlic shuld be planted in september or october, but when we leave them in the ground (~25-30 cm deep) they start to regrow roots in august. Our soil is clay and we irrigate the garden weekly. So there is no chance for the bulbs to dry out. Unfortunately we harvested the bulbs so I have experience from only 2 seasons for staying in soil. Growers say we have 2 kinds of garlic, the autumn planting type and the spring planting type. I do not agree, I've heared both is hardy here, the spring planted ones grow less and the smaller bulbs are more marketable, people don't like it becouse of its smell (I would say fragrance). Could you please send pictures from both of your garlics, or make a page on the wiki. Seed bearing garlic is new for me, and I think it is quite of an interest for every Allium fan. Bye, Jan Hungary