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Q. I have a small, unheated greenhouse and wanted your opinion on whether it was a good idea to line it with bubble wrap.Ìý

A. The wrap will keep out the sunlight and also keep to humidity in causing problems with mould. So if you do decide to use bubble wrap then make sure you ventilate the green house regularly. You could use thick horticultural fleece to keep plants warm and try using the horticultural grade bubble wrap from garden centres to insulate the house.

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Q. Our Eucalyptus tree has a nasty vertical split – what is wrong and what can we do to save the tree?

A. It looks like wind damage. To save it, cut it right back to below the split. It will grow several shoots and be more robust as a shrub rather than a tree. Formative pruning of trees in the early years is essential to making them resistant to adverse weather conditions.

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Q. What could I grow in old, plastic guttering? I’m going to grow strawberries, but am looking for more recommendations. The guttering is 4inches (10cm) wide. I live 100m (328ft) from the sea, but am planning to put the guttering on the sheltered side.

A. Plant Strawberries (try the Alpine varieties) no closer that 3ft (0.9m) apart because they need big root runs. Grow salad leaves, Water Cress, Ìýthe Heritage Pea ‘Tom Thumb’ and even ‘Tumbling Tom’ Tomatoes.

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Q. We have inherited a Banana tree that is now 12ft (3.7m) tall. How can we keep the size down?

A.Ìý Take a saw to it.Ìý You can curt in down to 4ft (1.2m) if desired. Protect the roots to make sure it survives the cold.

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Q. I’m intrigued by crop rotation – can it really be used on a small allotment to increase yields, improve the soil and protect against pests and diseases?

A. If you don’t rotate, you will have problems. Potatoes planted without rotation will bring eelworms and when Carrots are planted in the same place every year, there are problems with carrot fly. Always make sure you’re careful to buy good quality seeds in the first place to reduce the chances of white rot etc. and make sure you add loads of compost each year to keep the soil healthy.

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Q.Ìý What can I grow in my boggy back garden for a bit of colour? The garden is south facing but backs onto woodland so gets very little sun, and the soil is clay.

A. You could fry growing Willows like the Salix alba ‘Britzensis’ which has beautiful orange stems or the Osmunda regaelis fern would grow well there. The ‘Summer Snowflake’ (Leucijum aestivum) looks like a giant Snowdrop and would also work well. You could also try growing Cadelabra Primulas in areas of dappled shade which would add bright colours.

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Q. I’ve recently been given a Pomegranate tree and wanted to know where would be the best place to plant it.

A. You will get flowers, but it’s unlikely you’ll get fruit unless you plant it in a very sunny place against a very warm wall.Ìý Ìý

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Q. Could the panel recommend a reliable variety of mini Cucumber for outdoor growing and is there a need to reduce the leaf growth or pinch out the tops when you’re growing this variety?

A. Try growing Gherkins such as the ‘Paris’ variety. There are also things called Cucamelons that look like mini melons and taste like unpleasant Cucumbers. The ‘Marketmore’ and ‘Burpless Tasty Green’ varieties of Cucumber have a great flavour and grow well when planted up a frame. Don’t worry about nipping things out. Put lots of well-rotted matter into the soil and plant them 45cm (18 inches) apart.

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Q. I have a hot composting bin made out of polystyrene, which has lots of instructions. I’m wondering about sending it back as it seems like a lot of work and I’m worried it will attract rats. What advice would the panel give?

A. If you live in a small place a simple wormery is the ideal way of composting but if you have a lot of kitchen waste and grass clippings, a hot compost bin could be the way to break down the matter quickly. But if you feel it’s too much work, stick to normal compost heaps.ÌýÌý