Is it possible to grow fruit or vegetables from the seeds and pips of things we ve eaten

A. Yes, perfectly possible. There are three kinds of gardener; the ones that don't have the time to raise things from seed and buy the plants ready germinated from the garden centre, the enthusiasts who trawl through and order from the seed catalogues and then the real fanatics who take huge pride in watching something grow from seed they have produced themselves.

A. If you are growing them yourself, leave a couple of fruits to over ripen on the vine, when they've gone brown and squishy (or just leave some shop bought stuff until it has gone over the top), but be sure to pick them before they split open. Then the fun begins.

Mash up the fruit or vegetable and extract as many seeds or pips as you can and soak them in water for 48 hours. Any that float to the top are too dry or infertile and can be discarded. Dry off the rest on tissue paper and plant away.

A. Citrus are generally not hardy enough to grow outdoors in this country but can do very well in conservatories, green houses or indoors. They are unlikely to produce fruit big enough to eat but the small fruits are decorative in themselves and the flowers are often fragrant.

Wash the pips and soak in water for 48 hours, plant them in a plastic bag half filled with moist compost and tie up the top. Put the bag in a warm place until the seeds have sprouted their third leaf, usually at around three weeks. Then transfer each to a small pot and grow on.

A. Us the same method as above, but before planting the stone you will have to slightly crack the stone by gently hitting it with a small hammer. Fruits like nectarine and peach are from hot countries and will need to be grown inside.

Avocados are a slightly different matter. Plant the stone narrow end up to about half its depth in a pot of moist earth or compost and leave it on the windowsill for up to six months. That's how long it takes for the shoot to split the two halves of the stone and make its way to the light. Again, avocados are highly unlikely to fruit in this country but make an attractive houseplant in their own right.