Hi Lizzie, I hope things are better this week. I'm concerned that all our comments are making things worse. No one likes being taken for granted, but is this getting a bit out of perspective. Perhaps if you had a break and thought things through you might feel it wasn't worth getting so upset about....

Hi O. H. Sounds like you are back to normal again. Welcome back and I hope you are feeling much better.

You've had good advice about the ventilation, and the cool glass will be good a little later. Our allotment is on a very windy site, and I was concerned that if the auto vent was open when it was very windy it might cause the glass to blow out, so I've only put an auto vent on the leaward side and h...

I received my May issue the last week in March, which was a bit early, but gave me a nudge to finish reading the April one, so after doing all my April jobs it will probably be May before I get round to reading it!

I hope your Red Throated Diver has recovered. It was very lucky you caught it.

If you sow beetroot into modules, make sure it never gets too dry or they will be ruined. Keep them just moist until you transplant them and they should be fine, but I do find the ones sown directly outside do much better. Leeks are very adaptable and put up with anything (within reason) you want to...

The best crop of parsnips I ever had was from self sown seeds round a couple of plants I had left in to go to seed. I left a few where they had germinated and transplanted others into a proper row and they all grew wonderfully well. I'm leaving three plants in to go to seed this year and hoping for ...

I thought you were going to suggest the old gardeners' trick of sitting on the soil with a bare bottom - and if it was comfortable to the skin then it was OK for the seedlings. Not something I fancy doing!!!!

We've actually had the coldest winter for quite a few years here. There were two weeks of continuous frost when night time temperatures went down to minus 10C on at least three occasions. Even after that I was going to do an experiment with the black plastic, clear plastic and open ground and I coul...

Hi Lizzie, We usually eat fresh from the garden (plus meat or fish) but I thought the takeaway would teach him a lesson!!!. You could cook fresh meat for yourself and get the takeway for your partner to be really mean, but that would have you cooking anyway - oh dear. You'll just have to go away for...

Hi Catherine, Harlow Carr is one of my favourite gardens, and I usually go for my birthday in February as there is usually something flowering. I've not been this year though. I'm glad you had a good day out. It is on my list for a day out very soon - probably after the Harogate Spring Show.

I would definitely put them in new compost at least. How many plants are there? You could put half in new compost and the rest in a new strawberry bed outside and see which do best.

Have you thought about sending out for a takeaway? You choose what you want and the others can have vegetarian, then let your partner pay for it all. It might be an incentive for him to do the cooking occasionally.

I've just looked it up on www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/garden_benefits.htm and it is good for germination, uptake of nutrients and lots more. Take a look at their web site - I can't remember it all.

I also like them caseroled, and our local butcher sells them. I have once or twice used fresh "road kill" as it seemed a shame to waste them. Last year we were going walking in Derbyshire, but couldn't go on our planned walk as the valley was closed for local shooting party to use. They we...