Sports Calendar

I’d love to be able to tell you – but I need to know what plant you are talking about!

Hi Jane Owen, I have a youngish espalier conference pear tree. I am told by neighbours that it bore three pears two years ago. Last year, there were about 20 pears. They were inedible because of a rough, knobbly, warty skin. I noticed a round red spot on many of the leaves. So many pears have set this year that I will have to thin them out. How can I care for my tree? The other tree is a russet and seems fine. Thanks, Kate Tomato Collard [yes, really!] Northampton

Your tree is suffering from scab, which is caused by a fungus that overwinters on leaves and young stems. Clear leaves and infected fruit, cut out any damaged wood or stems and spray the tree with mancozeb or carbendazim. Finally, the tree sounds as if it’s in quite a state for such a young one. Have you planted it in good soil and a light, airy space?

Oh, and please tell where the ‘Tomato’ comes from and please don’t say ‘a plant.’

We have been in our new house for a year now and I have become slightly obsessed with gardening, I have never had one of my own before! Anyway, the people who lived in the house before us had a great pond but they also had 3- year-old twins, and as a result, the pond was filled in with gravel. Is it possible to reinstate a garden pond easily enough (there is a pump system for it), or will I have to put down a new lining etc.? Will this be a nightmare of a job or would you suggest putting in some kind of 'water feature' instead? Mrs A, Belfast

The liners available online and from many of the larger garden centres are expensive, but they are easy to install so long as you remember to line the area with padding first so that stones can’t pierce the waterproof liner. Do all the work in bare feet, again to protect the liner, and drop it into the pool and start filling it before you tuck in the edges and make good – the liner will shift a lot as the pool fills. I love ponds and love seeing birds and frogs enjoying themselves in ponds, and so I’d always opt for a pond instead of a water feature. Go on – it will be worth it!

e-mail Jane Owen with your gardening questions: jane.owen1@timesonline.co.uk

Times recommends

• Second homes: credit crunch casualty or money-spinner?
• How I built my own sliding house
• Top 10 incentives for house buyers