Q. A friend in Murree is seeking guidance regarding plants to grow which attract butterflies, moths and bees. Buddleia is, of course, one plant that does well and attracts many such insects but what are other plants that are easy to grow? We also suggested pitcher plants as these are also said to capture small insects such as mosquitoes. Can you please recommend more?

A. Buddleia is, as you say, an excellent plant for attracting butterflies, moths and bees and so too is the berberis (small yellow flowers followed by oval-shaped purple fruits which are edible) which grows wild in a few locations up there. Berberis fruit is much loved by various birds and people, too. Honeysuckle and wisteria are excellent for attracting bees and night-flying moths when in bloom — and honeysuckle is in bloom on and off all summer long in the hills. Zinnia flowers, along with marigolds, tagetes, cornflowers, pinks, antirrhinums, Sweet Williams, sunflowers, sweet alyssum, stocks and scented petunias are good seasonal flowers for butterflies, moths and bees as well. Other flowers, such as gaillardia and rudbekia, margarites, bellis, hollyhocks and wallflowers are also recommended. Herbs, including echinacea, thyme, borage, comfrey, lemon balm, oregano/marjoram, mints, monardia (bee balm), sage, aniseed and chives/garlic chives are good too and do very well in the Murree climate.

I do not recommend pitcher plants as they are ultra-expensive and difficult to care for. Growing them from seed is difficult. If plants are available, many of the species must be accompanied by a special licence as they have almost been wiped out in the wild and this goes for some other carnivorous plants, too. Having a pitcher plant or other carnivorous plants will not make any discernible difference for mosquitoes, as you would need many plants to make an impact. Pitcher plants would need to be indoors, in a heated room, during the Murree winter, which can be extremely cold.

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. Can liquorice be grown in Faisalabad and, if so, where can I get plants or seeds?

A. With proper soil preparation, shade provision and plenty of water, liquorice should grow reasonably well in your location. Plants, however, are not (to the best of my knowledge) available. To find a seed source, I suggest you search on the internet for a reputable seed supplier based somewhere in Pakistan.

Q. You advise not to let grapes fruit for the first three to four years so that the vine becomes strong. Does this also apply to pomegranates and other fruit trees?

A. No. Only to grape vines.

Q. A few years back, I planted a pomegranate sapling in my house. It has now grown into a thin forked tree approximately 18 feet tall. The tree is at the foot of the boundary wall of the house and perhaps that is why it is so tall. It flowers and sets fruit but the fruit drops when it is egg-sized. Kindly advise.

A. The tree, as you have already surmised, has grown tall in search of the direct sunlight it needs for healthy growth and fruit production. It sounds like it is using so much of its strength in its battle for survival that it is not left with enough energy to fully develop its fruit. You can try feeding it very heavily, with well-rotted, preferably organic, manure or an organic tree fertiliser — one with a high iron content — every three months, all around the year to see if this helps. It is also essential that the tree receives regular water — and plenty of it — right from the flower bud stage through to fruit harvesting. Please let me know the result.

Q. In April this year, I sowed some chia seeds in my garden in Quetta. Germination was almost one hundred percent. The plants are healthy and are about four feet tall. I read that chia starts flowering by mid or end of July but my plants are still leafing and show no sign of flower buds. Should I wait or give up?

A. It takes between 100 and 180 days from sowing chia seed to the flowering stage: the length of time depending on altitude and latitude. Chia is a short-day flowering plant, which means that it is more liable to flower in Quetta in mid to late autumn than in the summer months. This being October, keep your fingers crossed and leave the plants to see if they burst into bloom before winter cold cuts them down.

Q. I read your article about creating micro-climates that allow plants to grow well in places where, under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t grow. I want to know how to do this so that I can grow mangoes in Abbottabad as otherwise they die in the winter cold.

A. Sorry, but it is not possible to create a suitable micro-climate for mangoes in Abbottabad on a regular garden scale.

Q. We are located in Lahore and get plenty of sunshine in our garden. We planted some vines in a large pot over six months ago but, despite watering them every evening and feeding them with manure, they haven’t grown at all. What may be the reason?

A. Which type of vine did you plant and in what mix of soil/compost/manure? This information is essential to identify the problem.

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, EOS, October 13th, 2019