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I second a level of care until you know what you have. Also, plum trees should be pruned in the summer so not a good time now - they're liable to infection at this time of year. I'd just remove and damaged or diseased wood and keep an eye on them for now.

I can't tell if it's a pear tree or not but it would be normal for a pear (and many other types of fruiting tree) to be grafted with the top (fruiting) part being a different variety to the root stock. You keep the grafted point above soil level. Can you see a grafting point and if so, which of the ...

What is your diagnosis? I have a couple of friends with quite strong food intolerances but as I'm sure you realise, that's quite different to an allergy. Still restrictive though.

I'd hate it. I grow as a hobby that helps me provide for the table and as a mental health release after days at a stressful job. I don't need more stress at the lottie and don't really care how my plot rates against other people's (I don't think that life should be a competition), I do it for me so ...

Ah, mine are all tab'ed ones, am quite thankful of this :) Good luck with yours, think the warm water option is the best idea as even normal jars can be difficult when they've come out of our larder cupboard which is rather on the cold side at this time of year and I've had to warm those plenty of t...

I have this one - http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/household/kitchen_appliances/electric_and_mechanical_appliances/dehydrating_appliances/193811-food_dehydrator.htm?art_nr=521419&refKey=_i_QifCxD from Westfalia, it's very good, a bit noisy and not as flash or heavy duty as some of the other ones ...

Indeed, give the tab on the rubber ring a good tug and you'll be fine - OH struggled for ages with one till I showed him how to do it ;)

Not as far as I know - what medication in particular were you looking for? You can tell a lot from reviews etc.

I've never used jam sugar or added powdered pectin but I think that the elderflower jam would be a bit of a tricky one. I'd be inclined to use apple juice as a base and get the advantage of the pectin in that but it's up to you. With other low pectin fruit I simmer the fruit with lemon juice before ...

Are fava beans just broad beans then? Well you learn something new every day. Personally I like mine simply steamed as a veggies but had a very nice mushroom risotto with a load of them in the other day and the River Cottage beans on toast recipe too.

You'll only get bubbles if you let it ferment in a bottle otherwise they'll just vent. I'm not really clear how you're doing it (there are so many methods) but it sounds like you're using a demi-john with an air lock but I might have misunderstood. I've only ever done it with natural yeasts and have...

Definitely don't pinch out but do support - oh and they'll get huge inside, another year you'd probably be better with them outside as they need insect pollination and they do absolutely fine outdoors.

I ended up putting them in boxes in the loft for now until somebody comes up with a viable plan as I've realised that I'll never think anything decent up ;)

There is a lot of misinformation about hosepipes and bans. You can actually still use hosepipes even if they're attached to the mains but not directly, ie you can fill watering cans with them rather than carry them all the way down the garden but you can't use them directly on the soil. This is not ...

I have an irrigation system watering my polytunnel but no solar power - I simply have a battery operated timer on a gravity drip system which runs off an IBC (which in turn harvests water from the tunnel roof). Not as green as solar but a single battery lasts the full season so it's very cheap and c...