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 I have a yukka plant that has just a few little sprouts of leaves appearing near the top of a bare trunk. Can I revive it? – Hilary Doherty, Lenzie.

A Cut off the shoots and leave to callous over for a few days before planting them in pots of gritty compost. Water regularly, but don’t allow them to sit in damp soil, and they should start to grow. Then shorten the trunk of the main plant, water and place in a sunny spot and it may regenerate.

Stay off the grass and soil during snow

and frost to prevent compaction.

Q Why have my primulas disappeared? – Eddie Caulder, via email.

A If the roots are also missing then it’s likely to be vine weevil grubs, if any remaining foliage looks slimy then bad weather or fungal disease is the cause, and if there are bits of broken leaves lying around then something has been pecking at them. Close observation should give you the full answer.

Collect seed from hellebores and sow immediately in pots of compost. Check regularly for signs of germination.

Q How long does it take for leaves to turn into leaf mould. My heap hasn’t gone down very much. – Lily Anderson,via email.

A It takes at least a year for leaves to break down into that lovely, crumbly substance that makes such a useful soil conditioner, and up to two years for beech leaves.

Split up clumps of snowdrops as the flowers go over, replanting them at the same depth as before.

Q Have I left it too late to sow a packet of chilli seeds? – David Webster, Inverurie.

A No, but you’ll need to act quickly if you want to see results this year. Chillis need a long growing season and plenty of heat, so start them off immediately in a propagator or a sunny windowsill.

Don’t remove old flower heads from hydrangeas until the latest bout of bad weather is over.

Q Why do birds peck at my yellow crocuses but leave the white and purple flowers untouched? – I. Mciver, via email.

A Nobody really knows, but one theory is that the yellow colour triggers the feeding reflex that birds respond to when feeding their young. However, it could simply be that yellow crocuses are tastier.

If you haven’t already scrubbed out

seed trays, then do it now in preparation for the growing season.