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 How do I care for a Medinilla magnifica? – Ciara Williams, St Andrews.

A This tropical epiphyte makes a gorgeous houseplant. Keep it really warm and don’t let the compost dry out. Once the flowers have faded, cut back the foliage and keep it on the dry side over winter. Mist the leaves in the summer to prevent red spider mite.

Plants grown in containers may run low in nutrients. Revive them by scraping away the top layer of compost and replacing it with fresh material. Add slow-release fertiliser granules.

Q I planted a flowering cherry tree five years ago, but it has never thrived. Should I persist with it? – I Docherty, Stranraer A Waterlogging is one of the most common reasons cherry trees fail. Move the tree to a drier spot and improve the drainage.

Check around raised beds and under stones for slugs and snails. They are emerging now to feed on young foliage.

Q Is there a way of removing ground elder without using chemicals? – Terry Clark, Broughty Ferry.

A Remove all plants you want to keep, checking their roots for any sign of the weed. Then dig out every last scrap of ground elder. Repeat this when more shoots appear, sieving the soil to find the smallest pieces of rhizome. Don’t replant the area until you are sure the ground elder has been eradicated.

Sow pumpkin seed in small pots indoors, placing seeds on their sides to prevent them from rotting.

Q I’m growing flowers for cutting this year. When should I sow them? – Liz Meehan, Inverness.

A Now is a good time to start. On a dry day rake the soil to a fine tilth and cover it with black polythene for a couple of weeks to heat it up. Then mark out drills, sowing the seed finely, and covering it with a thin layer of soil. Keep the area watered.

Remove dead daffodil heads to direct energy back into the bulbs and avoid compromising next year’s flowering.

Q How do I tackle a laurel hedge that’s out of control? – B Henderson, Turriff.

A If the hedge is really high you may have to erect staging to reach the top. Otherwise use extendable loppers to remove the top-most branches. Use secateurs when trimming the sides to avoid cutting through leaves.