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 large clump of Japanese anemones. Can I split them to spread around the garden? – Hazel Duff, Aboyne.

A Wait until spring, when the foliage has just emerged, then dig up a clump and split into decent-sized sections, replanting these in a bright part of the garden.

Place maturing pumpkins on bricks or

straw to help them ripen.

Q What’s the best daffodil for naturalising in grass? – Henry Robertson, Dundee.

A Try our native Lent lily, Narcissus pseudonarcissus. Its small and charming flowers look far more at home in grass than any of the highly-bred varieties. It’s also the flower which inspired Wordsworth.

Remove foliage from perennials as they

die down, add the leaves to the compost heap.

Q I have a section of metal railings and I’d like to plant a climbing rose. – Mrs Ann Fraser, Stranraer.

A There are a number of climbing patio roses that are worth considering, including ‘Laura Ford’, which has apricot-yellow flowers, and ‘Warm Welcome’, which is a warm orange colour. Both grow no taller than 2.5m and are perfect for enhancing decorative fencing.

Sow a green manure on soil that is to be

left bare over the winter.

Q A circle of mushrooms has appeared on my lawn. - Liz McAllister, Forres.

A This is a ‘fairy ring’ and it’s caused by a type of fungus that moves outwards in search of nutrients. I think they look wonderful.

Cut bracts from hydrangeas and

arrange indoors in an inch of water. Once the water is used up the bracts will dry out but still retain their colour.

Q Is there any effective way of staking dahlias once they’ve been knocked over by heavy rain? - Jim Chisholm, Biggar.

A Not really, you’ve got get your stakes in early in the season for them to be effective. Some dahlias can reach 1.5m in height and the large flower heads soak up a lot of water, making them heavy and liable to topple. The best way to treat those that have already fallen is to cut them and pop in a vase.

Perennial weeds are much easier to

remove if the soil is damp, so tackle them after a shower, removing as much of the roots as possible.