Q. Can seeds for annual plants be sown directly in the garden?

A. The vast majority of them can be sown directly for example poppies, flax, larkspur. Some, however, such as pansies, petunias and antirrhinums fare better if started off in seed trays or pots and then transplanted once seedlings are firmly established. A rule of thumb is that seed packets which contain a large number of seeds indicates direct sowing while packets with few seeds are best started off in containers.

Q. I live in Rawalpindi and want to use sphagnum moss as a base in my seasonal flower baskets. Is it available here or can we grow our own?

Answers to your gardening queries

A. There are approximately 380 different species of sphagnum moss. They grow in what are known as ‘peat bogs’ in Northern Europe, Central Asia and a few other regions of the world where cool, moist, acidic soil or wetland conditions prevail. None are, to the best of my knowledge, found here in Pakistan.

Any sphagnum moss that are found in the market are imported and therefore expensive. Lining flower baskets with coconut coir is an excellent alternative and one which I have had great success with over the years.

Q. I am doing a project on roses. I need to know if rose hips can be grown in Karachi’s climate or if they need greenhouse conditions.

A. Germinating roses from the seed found inside their hips, is not all that easy. The majority of rose seeds require at least six weeks, sometimes even three to six months, of stratification — in this case exposure to sub-zero temperatures — before they even consider germinating. This can be achieved, with care, by sealing the seeds or hips inside a plastic bag and keeping it in the freezer for a period of time before planting. I suspect, however, the duration of your project may not allow for this. If, however, it does, then contact me and I will provide further details.

Q. Can persimmons be grown from seed in Karachi and is the seed very small?

A. Growing persimmons from seed is not recommended as the eventual trees are unlikely, irrespective of seed source, liable to produce fruit. It is necessary to graft cuttings, taken from highly productive persimmon trees, on to specialised rootstock to obtain good results. The seed is quite small. Most nurseries will have persimmon saplings in stock over the winter months which is the best time to plant trees.

Q. What are the local names for Matthiola bicornis and Zaluzianskya capensis and where can I get seeds? I want to grow them in Faisalabad.

A. There are no Urdu names for these exceptionally fragrant flowers — this is often the case with none-indigenous plant species. Their common English names are Virginia stocks (Matthiola bicornis) and Night scented stock (Zaluzianskya capensis) and these are the names they are sold under. If you fail to find them in a seed store, have a look on the internet for a source within Pakistan.

Q. Which vegetables, herbs and flowers can I grow in the Larkana area? They need to be drought resistant.

A. Vegetable Amaranthus, Swiss chard, arugula, endive, New Zealand spinach and sweet potatoes are all worth a try as are herbs with woody stems. On the flower front, the following are worth growing: Verbena, lantana, portulaca, gomphrena globosa, celosia, ageratum, rudbeckia and indigenous vinca are all, in their season, suitable candidates.

Q. How often should the soil in containers be changed?

A. At least once a year if perennial plants are being grown in them and each time they are replanted if growing seasonal plants.

Q. Should I prune shrubs and flowering plants before transplanting them?

A. Shrubs and flowering plants should only be transplanted when they have either completed their flowering cycle or are in their annual rest period. Transplanting them during their flowering season is to invite trouble and they may not survive.

Pruning should also be carried out at the end of the flowering cycle or when transplanting/re-potting in winter.

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, November 27th, 2016