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’ve discovered a bag of tulip bulbs at the back of the shed. Is it too late to plant them? – Melanie White, Pitlochry.

A No there’s still time. Plant them deeply in free-draining soil and they’ll flower as usual.

Plant lily bulbs in pots for colourful flowers next summer.

Q Can you recommend a climber for a north-facing wall? – Diane McLaughlin, Airdrie.

A I’m a fan of pyracantha. It can be trained into decorative, lattice shapes, it is evergreen and its berries, either red or orange, are a bright feature in autumn. It is also is unfussy about growing in a north-facing position.

Empty out the compost bin and mix up the contents. Water if the mix seems dry.

Q Can I replant a living Christmas tree in the garden? I’m thinking of getting one this year as our artificial tree is on its last legs. – D. McCrimmon, via email.

A After Christmas, acclimatise the tree very gradually to life outdoors as just shoving it out the back door and into freezing January temperatures will probably give it a shock from which it is unlikely to recover.

Dig a trench where beans will be grown next year. Fill it with fruit and veg peelings, recover with soil then leave to rot down into a nutrient-rich, moisture retentive layer.

Q I’ve asked all my family to give me roses for Christmas. Can I plant these out now? – Shirley Watson, Cumbernauld.

A As long is the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged you can continue planting through the winter. If any of the roses are bare-root, heel these in if conditions aren’t perfect. Add compost and mycorrhizal fungi to the soil when planting to give them a good start.

Spray the trunks of fruit trees with a winter wash. Soaking the bark helps to control woolly aphid and greenfly.

Q Is there any way to stop rabbits from eating the bark off my newly-planted cherry trees? – James Mitchell, Dumfries.

A Net guards are your best defence. These are made from either wire or plastic and can be placed around the trunks of young trees to protect them from squirrels and deer.

When planting hippeastrum (amaryllis), soak the roots in lukewarm water for an hour to hydrate them thoroughly before planting.