I want to grow vegetables but plan to cheat by buying young plants. Where can I get them?

The thought of germinating seeds and caring for young vulnerable plants can put people off growing their own veg. Much better that you purchase a few established plants than give up on the venture. Most garden centres will be selling young salad and vegetable plants at this time of year. It goes without saying that it's better to purchase organic plants and raise them in a suitable fashion. That means no slug pellets or chemical fertilisers; instead focus on boosting the health of your soil (www.gardenorganic.org.uk ).

Organic Plants for Gardens and Allotments offers a Tried and Tested Tomato Collection (organicplants.co.uk), which caught my eye. It delivers six young plants, each one a different variety, for £10. All you have to do is throw a few stones in the bottom of your containers (for drainage), fill them with compost and introduce the plants to their new homes.

Purchasing plants rather than growing from seed is a useful option if you're starting late in the year. Rocket Gardens will send you an instant vegetable garden

(£25; www.rocketgardens.co.uk ). A collection of about 60 young plants from its organic nurseries in Cornwall, includes beans, spinach, peppers, lettuces and carrots.

What can I do with my wine-bottle corks?

Hang on to them, that's what. A biodegradable material produced from a sustainable farming system, corks are to be encouraged. Here are some of the ways I've found my stash of corks useful: to aid drainage in flowerpots, throw a handful in the bottom of a flowerpot; to block up a water butt in the winter months so it doesn't overflow, squeeze one into the hole where the rainwater enters; to make glass bottles airtight when you've made flavoured oils. Chilli oil, by the way, is easy. Find an old wine bottle, pour in olive oil, followed by several chillies sliced down the middle. Seal with a cork and don't touch it for two weeks. The final product is a delicious way to spice up pizzas and pasta.

There are dozens more ways to re-use corks if you browse the internet, from turning them into pincushions to making a base for a pinboard (www.recyclethis.co.uk ). And if you can find a way of chopping them into bits, cork makes good mulch material to help plants to retain moisture.

Times recommends

• Prince Philip attacks big families
• Take a dip in Dubai-on-Thames
• Eco Worrier: How can I persuade my husband to use a push mower?