Colin - fascinating photos. I never knew that tomato sideshoots were capable of developing roots and having seen your example I will give it a try (although this year I held myself with tomato sowing so don't have any leggy plants.) I wonder if it would work if you cut the tops of the tomatoes off a...

Thanks for your reassurance. I can't see any signs of growth from side shoots but perhaps they won't appear until the top of the plant has been lopped off. It's a pity this technique doesn't work with humans, then everybody whose head had been chopped off with the guillotine would have had a second ...

I've accidentally snapped off the tops of two pepper plants whilst moving them. The break is about two thirds up the height of the plant. Is this the end of them or will they resprout from the junction between the existing leaves and the stalks, i.e. where tomato sideshoots grow?

Maybe it was the stinking smell of the white flowers when they came into bloom which put people off. Not exactly fragrant, are they?

I'm trying to remember when I last saw a garden sporting a privet hedge. I haven't seen one for years and wonder what caused them to go out of fashion? I remember as a kid how regularly I plundered next door's privet hedge for food to feed my army of stick insects. Perhaps it was the arrival of open...

Having been away for three days I've returned to the best crop of weeds ever. I simply cannot believe that I left a perfectly weeded vegetable patch behind and returned to this ! The vegetable seeds are all lagging far behind. So far my indoor germinated parsnips are the only seeds to be growing. Ev...

June - not sure I can offer too much advice. We've just returned home after three days away, and our resident duck seems to have disappeared during our absence, possibly because we weren't there to feed her every day. Ducks do seem to nest in some very unsuitable places if they take a fancy to them....

This is one crafty duck. Every morning she arrives at dawn and sits at the base of the bird table until we feed her. This afternoon when we returned home from a visit to Saville Gardens, she was up on the roof, watching and waiting. The minute I went into the garden and called to her she was down in...

Dear Chantal, When I saw the heading "Rocky 2008" I thought I was going to read his obituary and I thought "how sad, after seeing how you lovingly nursed him back to health". So delighted to see how he is now. It's truly a story of how tender loving care can transform an animal. ...

Beryl - if you want human hair, why not try a few local hairdressers or barbers if you have some nearby? They may give you an odd look when you ask for their sweepings, but if you explain why you want it I'm sure they'll be happy to oblige. (But you will probably be known for ever after as The Badge...

Would love to give them a try but as always with limited space, it would be a case of just sowing two or three seeds for an experimental crop, if you can't find young plants in a garden centre.

Rhubarb does seem to take a long time to get established, even when you plant it in well manured soil. It also seems to sulk for at least a year when you move it so I guess it's just a question of patience and not over-picking any stalks until it has really got established.

I wonder if they would be put off by the noise of human voices. I don't suppose this is a remotely practical idea, but if you could find a really old cheap transister radio, switch it on and wrap it in waterproof bag, perhaps the noise of human voices might make them wary of venturing onto your patc...

It wasn't until I read a newspaper article last week that I realised black squirrels existed. I've certainly never seen any around our part of the world in Bucks. Am sure the five regular greys to our garden would be very put out about such an intruder. Do the two species actually coexist or interbr...

Vivie - thanks for the helpful info about the grain feeding. Yes, she's still here, but now often flies off during the day, returning at first light for breakfast, and around teatime. A couple of days ago there were three drakes in attendance chasing her, so I guess any day now she'll depart for goo...