IT has been a disappointing summer for many gardeners. The lack of sunshine, cool nights and a persistent wind that seemed to blow day and night combined to create difficult growing conditions.

Tales of runner beans not setting and tomatoes being very slow to ripen have been two of the most common comments passed on to the National Allotment Society.

In response to the weather, the society is asking gardeners to consider cultivating garlic.

Garlic is a very straightforward crop to grow although it doesn’t like a cold wet soil or site. Choose a light and airy south facing area to grow the garlic.

If you garden on a heavy, water holding soil you can improve the drainage of the soil by creating 15/30cms (6-128in) high raised beds to drain the water away. It is a little like digging the moat around a sand castle. The excavated soil is thrown up to form a plateau.

It’s just like earthing up potatoes but on this occasion ridge has a flat top to it. Top dress with a general fertiliser before planting the cloves.

Don’t be tempted to use the bulbs for sale in shops and supermarkets. They may be carrying diseases or are not suitable for growing over here. And don’t use your own self saved bulbs because they may also be carrying soil borne diseases.

Always start off with clean, disease free bulbs that have been bought from the specialist growers and have been especially bred for early autumn planting. Don’t split the bulbs into individual cloves until you are ready to use them.

Plant the cloves 8cm/3in deep and 22cms/9in apart in the row. Mark both ends of the row with plant labels although you should see some foliage above the soil by the end of autumn. Growth should really take off during next February and the crop will be ready for harvesting by June/July.

Elephant garlic will appreciate being planted around this time of year. It will produce 22cm/9in of growth in rapid time and then stand still.

If it is planted too shallowly or too late it will produce an onion like bulb rather than the familiar divided garlic bulb. This can be used in just the same way as the individual cloves.

Another bonus with elephant garlic is it always produces a flowering stalk known as a ‘scape’.

This has to be removed anyway when it is about 60cms/2ft high to encourage swelling of the bulb but it is tender enough to eat uncooked when it is chopped up and add to salads or cooked in a stir fry.