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.

QThe phalaenopsis orchid in my conservatory is looking a bit sorry for itself. I water it weekly and have been giving it orchid food. – Jerry Conroy, Stepps.

AIt sounds as if you’ve got the feeding and watering regime just right but I suspect that cold temperatures at night are the problem. A bright spot in a warm sitting room is the best place for your orchid.

Tidy up globe artichokes, removing

dead or damaged foliage and giving plants a feed of general fertiliser.

QDo you know of any way to stop tulips from drooping in a vase? – Mrs Audrey Anderson, Carnwath.

AWrap the stems in brown paper and secure with an elastic band. Place in a deep container filled with water overnight, before arranging them in a vase. Trimming the stems slightly on the short side will also help to keep them upright.

Now’s the time to propagate yew

hedges. Take cuttings, insert into gritty compost and cover with a plastic bag.

QCan you tell me what’s been eating the foliage of my camellia? Big chunks have been nibbled. – Tom Goodall, by email.

AVine weevil beetles are the most likely culprits. A more serious problem is their larvae which eat through plant roots. Biological controls are available, but these are only effective in greenhouses.

Pot up dahlia tubers and start them into

growth on a sunny windowsill.

QIs there an alternative to yellow forsythia? I’m not so keen on its acid colour. – Maureen Philips, Irvine.

AAbeliophyllum distichum is a scrambling shrub that’s closely related to forsythia and flowers at the same time of the year. It looks delicate but is hardy although the flowers can be damaged by frost, so it is best planted in a sheltered position.

As the days start to lengthen, weeds are

quick to germinate. Remove before they have a chance to seed and spread.

QLast year I had a problem with ‘damping off’ amongst my seedlings. What’s the best way to avoid this? – Mr G Lawson, by email.

ATo minimise the risk, start with clean trays and fresh compost. Sow seed thinly and keep moist but not saturated, and open windows or greenhouse vents to allow air to circulate.

Green manure crops grown over the

winter should be dug in now before vegetables are planted in the soil.