I grow two kinds of garlic, or I should say, of all the kinds of garlic I have bought to plant over the years, two persist. One is a genuine garlic, with snaky stems and heads of bulbils. The other, I think, is a type of leek. It has sharp-edged hard bulbils attached to the big bulb by white "threads". Some of these break off and remain in the soil, so I have it growing forever wherever I have planted it. I have begun digging it as I normally do at this time, as the leaves are dry. It is also in flower - a ball of pale pink flowers - and it suddenly occurred to me that perhaps it would produce seeds. I don't know how long would be needed for this. I wouldn't want to leave the bulbs in the ground until the rains start, as they might not keep till next summer if they don't dry off properly. Does anyone else leave theirs to go to seed, and does it take very long for it to ripen? Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada maritime zone 8, cool Mediterranean climate mild rainy winters, mild dry summers