Q. Which flowers, shrubs and other plants can I add to my garden to attract birds?

A. Birds, along with butterflies, bees and many other beneficial insects, love to feast on nectar-rich flowers of shrubs such as Hibiscus, Buddleia, Pentas, Mandevilla and roses in general. Roses also produce rosehips which birds adore. They also enjoy flowers like sunflowers, Portulaca, Verbena, Aster, Gazania and Inula helenium in their growing seasons.

Herbs for birds include: Sage, oregano, dill, aniseed, rosemary, lavender, coriander and basil. Climbing plants for birds are Clitoria ternatea, passion flower, Tecoma grandiflora and many others. Our feathered friends adore all manner of fruit, nut and berry shrubs / trees as well with figs and other ‘soft’ fruits being an all time favourite. The birds — and other wildlife — in your area are going to thank you for thinking of them many times over and are sure to reward you in their own way, especially if you also keep water available for them as well. Keep up the wonderful work!

Suggestions and solutions for attracting birds in the garden to altering the acidity / alkalinity of soil

Q. How can I remove fungus from the leaves of a curry plant?

A. In the absence of full detail about the exact type of fungus, its colour and overall appearance, the best I can do is to suggest that you mix up warm water and soap (the soap should be as pure / unperfumed / chemical free as possible). As a first step, dip a soft sponge in this solution and, very gently, sponge off as much of the fungal growth as possible, paying attention to the undersides as well as the upper part of the leaves. Next, spray the entire plant, again remembering to spray underneath the leaves too, with this same warm water / soapy solution. Also, regularly clean up any fallen leaves / debris around the plant as this may contain fungal spores (or insect pests / eggs) which could harm the plant in future. Wash / spray the plant either in early morning or late afternoon — not in full sunshine as sun on wet leaves can result in damage — every third or fourth day for a couple of weeks or until the problem is dealt with.

Q. What fertilisers should we treat as slow release ones? Kindly provide a list.

A. As you are probably aware, I do not advocate the use of any chemical interventions in the garden. The following are — or should be — (please check the label for full details of ingredients when purchasing) purely organic, slow release, fertiliser options: bone / bone meal, hoof and horn, fish meal, seaweed / kelp meal, iron filings / nails and guano (bat droppings).

Q. Please mention Urdu names for all the plants you write about as well as their botanical or English ones. This would be helpful when we go to seed stores / nurseries to buy them.

A. Many of the plants mentioned in this column are, botanically speaking, not indigenous and do not have consistent Urdu names: they may be called, in Urdu, by one name in Karachi and by another name in a different part of the country. This is a problem which can only be circumnavigated by using their botanical names.

Q. What are comfrey, marjoram and Clary sage called in Urdu?

A. There are no Urdu names, that I am aware of, for these herbs.

Q. What is the English name for ‘niaaz bo’?

A. ‘Holy’ basil. ‘Niaaz bo’ is a particularly pungent variety of basil which, in ideal conditions, may be perennial. Revered by Hindus, it is widely used in herbal medicines and as a living insect repellent to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Q. Can bulbs be moved when they are growing or flowering?

A. Bulbs are generally transplanted when dormant. Moving them when they are in full growth or in flower gives them a terrible shock from which they may not recover.

Q. Please suggest some attractive flowering trees / plants that will grow in containers, in shade during both summer and winter in Larkana.

A. Few flowering trees — unless they are dwarf species — are suitable for long-term cultivation in pots and relatively few shrubs will flower much in the shade. But, you may like to try the following: Melia azadarach (Persian lilac), Thespia populnea (Tulip tree), Sebastana (Scarlet cordial), Gliricidia maculata (Madre), Cassia fistula (Indian laburnum), Amaltas, bottlebrush, Achania (similar to Hibiscus), Clerodendron, Frangipani, Hamalia patens, white Lantana, Panix and Poinsettias.

Q. How can the acidity / alkalinity of soil be altered?

A. If soil is too acidic, has a pH below 6 for example, adding organic powdered limestone will lower the acidity level. If soil is too alkaline, a pH above 7.5, natural sulphur can be used to balance it. Before undertaking to interfere with the natural pH value of soil in your garden, it is highly recommended that expert soil analysis is done by your local agricultural department which will, depending on the results, advise on the level of adjustment required. Do not try to alter the soil pH without first taking qualified advice otherwise you may cause irreparable damage.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 8th, 2017