THIS summer we had a reasonable crop of garlic from cloves planted in March. They were rather small and got used up very quickly, but tasted wonderful so this time I’ve decided to try an autumn planting instead.

Garlic likes to have a period of cold for a couple of weeks, so it doesn’t matter if there is sudden heavy frost or drop in temperature.

The chill initiates bulb formation, which may explain why some of mine didn’t develop properly – the bulbs had swelled, but failed to split into individual cloves, although they were still juicy and tasty enough to use.

Planting garlic is easy. It is bought as a bulb which is made up of individual cloves.

The bulb should be split up into its cloves just before planting with each clove being planted about 15cm apart.

Bury the cloves in the soil so their tips are just covered with earth; if they are exposed the birds will pull them out.

It is best that a small hole is made to drop the cloves into rather than pushing them into the soil because they may get damaged. After planting, garlic can be more or less left to its own devices. Watering may be necessary in hot, dry spells during spring and summer, and a bit of hand weeding may need to be done to keep the area clear.

Around August, the foliage dies back and it is time to harvest.

The variety I have chosen to grow is Solent White, a hardy variety that came out very well in a recent Which? Gardening trial from both autumn and early spring planting. My experience would suggest the February is the latest it should be put out.

Solent White is a soft-neck variety which doesn’t usually produce a flower spike, has small to medium size cloves and keeps well, often in good condition until the spring after harvest. • NASTURTIUMS are a favourite annual in our garden. The distinctive smell of the plant when deadheading or harvesting seeds reminds me so much of my grandmother’s small garden in Lancashire when I was growing up.

My memory tells me they were always orange and slightly trailing, something that has changed as new varieties appear each year.

This summer, I tried a new variety from Thompson and Morgan called Cobra, which was also their 2009 flower of the year. It is a lovely plant, easy to grow, as many nasturtiums are, +and floriferous, producing blooms for weeks from early summer through to the autumn.

The long, trailing stems which weave themselves through beds are covered in dark green leaves with flowers held above so they can be clearly seen. The flowers, described on the packet as being dark red, are varied in colour with one or two plants producing the said colour, but the majority being rich orange.

This hasn’t detracted from their impact, I don’t tend to have a strict colour code, but if a scheme had needed dark red it would have been annoying.

There are plenty of seeds being formed now, some will be collected and dried for planting next spring, but no doubt some escapees will pop up in unexpected places next summer. Weekend catch-up

HAVE a look through seed catalogues which will have started to arrive and start choosing the flowers and vegetables wanted for next year.

This is a lovely job, but bear in mind that popular varieties need to be ordered sooner rather than later as they can sell out quite quickly.

Seeds will keep well in their unopened packets until they need to be sown as long as they are kept dry.

Most seed companies have good, informative websites and do online ordering if you prefer not to have numerous catalogues lying around the house, but I have to admit to still liking to spend time lying on the sofa flicking through the pages and making lists before finally coming to a decision.

Gardening TV and Radio

Tomorrow.

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors. With Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Tim Crowther with Joe Maiden.

2pm, BBC Radio 4, Gardeners’ Question Time. This week, Anne Swithinbank, Pippa Greenwood, Bob Flowerdew and chairman Peter Gibbs are in Hampshire where they help the Valley Gardeners of Itchen Abbas. Plus a feature on autumn lawn maintenance and the gardening weather forecast at 2.40pm. (Repeated from Friday).

Friday.

3pm, BBC Radio 4, Gardeners’ Question Time. The team are in Greenock, Scotland where they try to solve the gardening problems of members of Aileymill Primary Group. With Matthew Biggs, John Cushnie, Bunny Guinness and chairman Peter Gibbs. There is also advice from Matthew Wilson on how to get the best autumn colour in the garden. The gardening weather forecast is at 3.40pm.

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. In the last of the series, Toby gives advice on choosing tulips and Joe and Alys cheer up the borders with colourful bedding plants. Also the winner of BBC Gardener of the Year is announced.

Saturday, October 24.

7am, BBC Radio York, Julia Booth. Presenter Julia Booth and gardening expert Nigel Harrison hold their weekly plant surgery.