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 My sweet peas are growing fast, but they look a bit weedy. Can I pinch them out at this time of the year? – Les Sharp, via email.

A Yes you can, sweet peas can tolerate being pinched out several times. Doing it now may delay flowering but you’ll get better blooms and stronger plants as a result.

Feed perennial plants in containers with a liquid feed and repeat fortnightly.

Q Why does my mophead hydrangea have very few leaves? It has always been healthy. – Dorothy Walker, Barton.

A Many hydrangeas suffered frost damage during the long winter and have been slow to green-up. If the tips of some branches look dead, then snip these off down to two healthy leaves. You may not get so many flowers this year but the plants themselves are very tough and should return to full vigour next year.

Mulch around climbers to prevent them drying out in the arid spots at the base of walls.

Q How do I stop ash seedlings from germinating in my lawn and flowerbeds? – D. Mcivor, Cults.

A The simple answer is that you can’t. Ash seeds will germinate wherever they touch, however they are very easy to get rid of. Simply cut the grass and pull a hoe through the soil and they will be gone.

Water hanging baskets thoroughly by sitting in them in a bucket of water until they are saturated.

Q I’ve tried growing hellebores from seed that I saved from last year’s flowers, but none of it has germinated. How do I improve my chances with this year’s batch of seed? – Moira Sampson, Troon.

A The secret is to sow the seed while it is still fresh, so instead of storing your hellebore seeds until next year, sow them immediately. And check around your existing plants for any young seedlings that are already emerging.

Weed vegetable beds regularly to prevent plants being starved of water.

Q Is it possible to grow anything under a lilac bush? – Laura Davidson, Glenrothes. A Lilacs have shallow roots so the area under the leaves doesn’t lend itself easily to cultivation. Your best bet is to try something very vigorous such as forget-me-nots, which don’t require much depth of soil.

Pinch out the growing tips of mint to encourage plants to become bushy.