Dear Vivienz, I should have mentioned that this pinching out delaying tactic may be of use - here's how. It may be more convenient to sow all of your peas at once, but you don't want all of them to be ready at the same time, so pinching half at planting time will extend the cropping period whilst st...

Dear All, having done the seed compost here is the soil mix for your big pots such as cucumbers and tomatoes. You will need pelleted slow release fertilizer; a 1kg jar usually costs around £5-6. This will make about 250 litres of compost. The rate of fertilizer to compost mix is 4 grammes per litre....

Dear Primrose, soil sterilisation is reasonably straight forward to do. The idea is kill off weed seeds, fungal and bacterial spores. To do this usually involves heat. Here is how I would do it. Obtain the permission of the Cook before attempting this process or wait until they are otherwise occupie...

Dear Vivienz,
you can pinch out if you want to; but I would only do that if I planned on eating the pea tips as it will delay your main harvest by about 2 weeks at least.
Regards Sally Wright

Dear Selwein, Good seed sowing practice starts with cleanliness. Get that right and the rest is so much easier. I sow around 15-20000 seeds in any year and I have found the following things very helpful to me. Clean your seed trays well; not just a quick dust before sowing but a thorough wash with h...

Be warned they will have courgette and pumpkin seedlings too. There is hanging brackets available for greenhouse shelves which will make it very hard for the meeces to gain access. Two Wests and Elliot do them.
Regards Sally Wright.

Dear Primrose, onions have some very curious habits when it comes to day length and such. If you plant Autumn onions now they will grow up until the summer solstice and then start to bolt (ALL of them), they will not bulb up and you will have wasted your time keep them until August. Regards Sally Wr...

Dear Stephen, leylandii is pretty much useless as a compost ingredient. It takes a long time to decompose and when it does releases compounds which act as a very good germination and growth inhibitor to most other plants. Bag it up for now and take it to the tip or green bin it when you can. Regards...

I think I will live off the larder for another week; the combinations may start to get a little curious but I won't starve. I have some pea shoots and lettuce in the greenhouse and there is chickweed and nettles sprouting in the garden so I won't get scurvy. I am going to plant a few more veg seeds ...

Dear Colin, that is one seriously ropey Kalanchoe. If you want to salvage it take some cuttings in a couple of months. After you have cut them off leave them to allow the cut end to callus over; about a week should do then put into some cutting compost with at least 1/4 by volume sand or grit. Don't...

Dear Stephen, I would try most of the carrot family herbs such as parsley, dill, coriander, lovage, chervil etc. The golden form of marjoram and lemon balm do better with a shady spot as they burn, the green sorts would grow in a cellar they are so vigorous. The sorrels cope in shady spots for me. C...

It does not matter what I am doing, a quick wash and the hands are as smooth and soft as a baby's botty; the only give away about my profession is the muck under the fingernails......
Regards Sally Wright.

Dear all, I use Astonish oven cleaning paste with either a microfibre cloth/green scouring pad to rub it on with. One tub has lasted me for over 5 years so far. Cif will also work but not nearly as well. Put them into a bucket of water as you have done them so the paste does not dry onto the labels....

Dear Orasserc, Buy a make that does interchangable batteries for all it's gadgets. That way if one machine dies there is a good chance that the replacement will fit the batteries that you have already bought; or if it doesn't then the batteries can still be used in your other machines. Accept that t...

Dear Stephen, by the look of it that hedge trimmer has not been used in several years and thus there is a risk of the blades being stuck together. For the sake of the motor I would try and get some WD40 or similar between the blades and clean them thoroughly before attempting to run the machine. You...