Disappointing garlic

Feeling a bit downhearted. Have had to start pulling up the garlic because the leaves are quite dry and yellowing and the dreaded rust has hit them. The bulbs are really small, but usable I guess. Just to rub it in the new guy along a bit has beautiful onions and garlic, mine are all pathetic little stumps. So I can't blame our rather heavy soil or the weather so far.
I planted them in November and the onions as soon as it was reasonably dry, March I think.
What's gone wrong?