I cheat!. I put one clove of the garlic into the soil pointing upwards. mine are already in the ground.

I grow garlic each year because i use so much in cooking and it really is much tastier than the bought stuff. I always grow mine in ridges to stop it getting waterlogged. Plant 1" deep, 6" apart and have the ridges about 10" apart. I plant in late October and usually harvest in July. You can plant in February though. Use as sunny a site as possible.