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Traditionally you plant garlic cloves on the shortest day of the year. Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow. You plant the individual cloves within the bulb. Plant the largest cloves you have, to get the largest bulbs.

Plant each garlic clove at least twice as deep as the length of the clove, planting it any shallower can cause the clove to pop up out of the soil in the cool weather.
Garlic is available in garden centres now. Be aware that the garlic you buy from the supermarket at the moment is probably from China and been treated with a chemical to prevent it from sprouting.

Look for organic garlic in your supermarket if you are not near a garden shop. To ensure a good crop of garlic you need to start with good cloves that either you or someone you know has grown or buy fresh seasons cloves from a garden centre.

Garlic should grow well if given the following conditions:

• Well-drained fertile soil in full sun in the garden or in pots
• Plenty of organic matter, compost, manure, straw, add this prior to planting
• Minimal weed competition, garlic hates fighting for food and water.
• Plenty of water through the warmer months when the bulb is forming.

Note: Garlic does not always do well in raised beds as many planters can dry out and get too hot through the bulbs development. To overcome this saturaid and composts can be added to the soil to retain soil moisture.
Keep well watered over the summer months. Apply blood and bone or liquid fertiliser through the season to encourage larger cloves. 
Harvest when the tops start to die down, lift gently with a fork and leave on top of the soil to dry out for a few days. Once dry, plait onto strings and hang somewhere dry and cool.

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