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Q – I recently bought a lemon tree in a pot. I can’t plant it in a sheltered spot but should I plant it in the garden?Ìý

Bob – Only if you want to buy another one next year!Ìý Keep it in a pot and if you have a sunny bay window put it in there before the first frost in autumn and put it out again after the last frost in spring.Ìý

James – I have a lemon tree outdoors in London so a different climate but it can be done in the UK.Ìý I am also experimenting with a Yuzu – very trendy – if you are desperate to grow a citrus in the garden, it is a gamble but it could pay off.

Matt – Also, if you are keeping it in the pot remember to turn the pot from time to time to get balanced growth.

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Q - My front garden has a box hedge which is being burnt by dogs passing –what can I do to discourage them and will the burnt patches recover?

Matt – Box hedges are very nice hedges but they’re not the toughest – what’s much better on a boundary is a hawthorn or even privet.Ìý Much hardier and you can raise the base.

Bob – To stop more dogs doing the same thing – most garden centres will sell pepper or chilli dust that will provide an unattractive smell to a dog’s sensitive nose.

Matt – However, you do need to frequently reapply as it washes away in the rain.

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Q – I’ve tried to grow potatoes in raised beds but the yield was poor – a few large but mostly small – what would you suggest to improve yield?

Bob – Potatoes like a very rich soil so use fertilizer/muck to improve yields.Ìý The disparity in size suggests you are taking them from a warm room to cold soil. It is better to wait a bit longer so the soil is warmer. Try warming up the bed with plastic sheeting first.

Also – Raised beds can dry out - most plants need an inch of water a week (much more than you’d think) and a potato is mostly water so make sure there’s plenty of water even if it is damp out!

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Q – We have grown Trilliums for years but have always bought the plants in and never tried to propagate.Ìý Now I want to try vegetative propagation, have you any advice?

Bob – Use rich, sandy soil full of leaf mould and position them in dappled shade. ÌýDivide them in half if you can. Trilliums are expensive which often means they are hard to reproduce.

Matt – I agree, you can be quite brutal with them but then put them into a nice moisture-retentive, free-draining compost in a shady spot so they don’t have too much bright light until they are fully developed.

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Q – The front of our house faces due north and because of a lot of very sad grass my long-suffering husband has laid slabs.Ìý May I have some recommendations for large pots to make it look beautiful?

James – I recommend edibles such as sour cherries (Morello is the most popular).Ìý Also try the cross between a sour cherry and a sweet one – it’s called May Duke – great flavour and very versatile in cooking.

Matt – Also, some topiary – box or bay or even trimmed ivy – it would give some structure during the winter.Ìý Also for colour, a lot of the salad crops would grow quite happily.Ìý And try coloured pots – so they bring some brightness and beauty too.

Bob – Go for a matched set of hollies and work on a geometric effect.Ìý Maybe underneath them plant some Euonymus.Ìý Hollies don’t cope well with bad drainage.

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Q – Why can’t I grow parsley?

Bob – parsley is notoriously difficult to get to germinate from seed – the best way is to buy a pot-grown plant from a supermarket or garden centre, plant it, and then let it self-seed.

Or, if you are doing it from seed, pour boiling water on the site first, let it cool a bit and then sow.Ìý Combination of the warmth and the germ killing of the boiling water helps the seeds to grow.Ìý

Matt – Fluctuating temperatures help trigger germination so maybe go from sunny windowsill to fridge, then fridge to windowsill.

James – Try seaweed tonic which you can buy in the garden centre – it contains plant hormones which may induce the germination process.

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Q – A couple of years ago I took a cutting of a Mexican Firebush and it’s now about 15inches (38cm) tall and in a pot and I’m wondering should I plant it in the garden?Ìý My garden is north-west facing and has very heavy clay soil.Ìý

Matt – Do you mean the Chilean Firebush? Embrothium coccineum?Ìý They are beautiful and elegant with orange/red flowers. It’s one of the few members of the protea family that will flower in the UK.Ìý It loves cool, moist conditions and is better in a sheltered spot away from cold winds. To get the full benefit of the flowers it’s best to let it grow into its natural shape rather than to cut it back.