Q: Is Coriander easy to grow?
A: Yes, although in hot weather plants are inclined to start flowering and run to seed. To overcome this make successive sowings every two weeks right through until autumn. Make sure your seed is fresh, and plant directly where you want the herb to grow - coriander does not transplant well and any disturbance to its tap-root makes the plant bolt. Choose a sunny free-draining spot, and when needed harvest the whole plant with roots intact to prolong storage life in the fridge.
Q: How can I get rid of moss in the lawn without resorting to chemicals?
A: Improve conditions to encourage grass rather than moss. Avoid cutting the lawn too low; aerate the soil by spiking with a garden fork to make deep, narrow holes; remove low-growing tree branches to let in more sunlight; and fertilise the grass in spring and autumn. Also in autumn, run a rake over the surface of the lawn to remove moss and thatch (a build-up of dead grass), a process known as scarifying.
