Welcome to my potting shed! This is the column where I’ll share all my gardening hints and tips – and I’ll try to answer any queries you may have.

Q Last year, I planted Japanese maples, but some of them have developed dry, crispy leaves. – G. Mathieson, Linlithgow. A The thin leaves are easily scorched by both wind and sunshine. Move them to more sheltered positions.

Dig up gladioli bulbs and let them dry out before storing them for next year. Q Can you tell me the name of a plant that produces long, arching stems with purple flowers at its tips? The leaves are long and narrow and in my garden these have grown into a large clump. – Mr D. Wilson, Oban.

A This sounds like angel’s fishing rod (Dierama pulcherrimum). Yours is clearly happy where it is, but when planting a new one, give it a sunny, sheltered spot. Cover areas of the vegetable patch that have been cleared of crops with horticultural fabric to prevent weeds. Q I love the purple leaves and pink flowers of the black elder but have only got a small garden. If I cut one back every year to keep it in its place would it survive? – Norma McQuarrie, Inverurie.

A The black elder (Sambucus nigra) will respond well to annual pruning, producing more foliage than if left to its own devices. Add a couple of sachets of silica gel to containers where seed is stored to prevent moisture from ruining the seed.

Q Is there any way to move mature evergreen shrubs? Our new extension will occupy the site where rhododendrons and camellias are growing. – Mr D. McLeod.

A You can move evergreens but you need to get on with the task now before the weather gets any colder. Water the plants, dig out as large a rootball as possible, and when replanted keep watering, even during damp spells, until the roots re-establish. Spike areas of compacted lawn with a fork and brush sand and leafmould into the holes to prevent puddles. Q My garage is being smothered by a Clematis montana. Can I cut this back or do I need to remove it? – Mrs Dawn Arthur, Elderslie.

A Wait until your clematis has finished flowering next spring and cut it back very hard, close to the base. If you haven’t done so already, cover ponds with netting to prevent leaves sinking to the bottom and disturbing the nutrient balance of the water as they rot.