Bee feeding on Buddleia | Photos by the writer
Bee feeding on Buddleia | Photos by the writer

Q. I have recently read about the plight of honeybees and how they are fast diminishing. I would like to do whatever I can to help. I know that my efforts won’t make a difference but I’ll expand this project with time.

A. Finding space in your garden — or in pots on your rooftop, balcony or any other suitable space available — to grow the species of flowers known to attract bees is the best thing to do. Bees adore fruit blossom of all kinds so if there is room in your garden, planting a selection of fruit trees would be wonderful. Bees also adore flowering climbers such as jasmine, honeysuckle, golden shower, Petrea volubilis, potato creeper and Rangoon creeper. Countless shrubs are loved by bees too and these include Buddleia, Brunfelsia, Ixora, Raat-ki-Rani, Duranta, Jatropha, roses, Kamni (Murraya exotica) and Chandni (Tabernamontana). Perennial and annual flowers for bees are numerous: hollyhocks, stocks, flax, Phacelia tanacetifolia, sunflowers, stocks, sweet Williams, larkspur, ageratum, zinnias, cosmos, salvias, daisy-type flowers of all kinds and flowering succulents.

There are some excellent bee herbs as well with lavender, rosemary, hyssop, nasturtiums, sage, comfrey, thyme and calendula being highly recommended. Additionally, take note of which local wild flowers the bees are feeding on and, in the correct season, harvest seeds from these flowers and sow them in your garden too. Bees have a preference for blue, yellow and white flowers so give these a priority. Since they also need fresh water to drink, provide this in fairly shallow bowls with chunks of rock placed in them to give the bees a safe landing platform from which they can easily drink. Your efforts, no matter how small, can make a difference.

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. After reading your recent column about growing garlic I want to do it but am a little confused about how to go about it. Do I need to take individual cloves out of the bulb with their covering attached and plant those or do I plant the full bulb with cloves attached to it but spread out? I live in Lahore and want to grow garlic around my roses, guavas, citrus and pomegranate trees to help keep pests away.

A. Separate the individual cloves from the bulb, covering intact and plants these cloves.

Q. I have five Sukh Chain trees in my garden on the edge of Karachi and another one in a pot. All the trees have the same problem of white spots appearing on the leaves about two weeks after they grow. Please tell me a solution.

A. Sukh Chain trees are prone to attack from a mite which hides itself inside these white spots. Spray with organic neem oil, following instructions on the bottle, to eradicate these troublesome pests.

Golden shower
Golden shower

Q. Can I grow a Millingtonia hortensis tree (Indian cork), with its fragrant lantern-like white blossoms in Islamabad?

A. If you can plant it in a south-facing spot, sheltered from cold north/north-east winds then you will be delighted to know that the answer is yes.

Q. Can I use banana peels and eggshells as compost after drying and grinding them up? If yes, how and in what quantity?

A. It is preferable to simply cut up banana skins and spread them, on the soil surface, beneath shrubs — especially roses — and other plants rather than to go through the fuss of drying and grinding them up. Eggshells are a different matter though and can be dried in the sun or in the oven on a very low heat, crushed up, mixed with water at the rate of one tablespoon dried and crushed eggshell to one litre water and placed in a sealable jar/bottle. Stand this jar/bottle, in full sun for at least seven days, preferably 10-14 days, shaking it up once every day and then add one tablespoon of the liquid to three litres of water as a general plant food. The liquid in the jar/bottle stinks but the odour vanishes very quickly once it is diluted and used on your plants.

Q. I have planted Melaleuca tree near the main gate and need to know if its root will go very deep and cause problems with the boundary wall in years to come.

A. Unfortunately all members of the Melaleuca family, indigenous to Australia, are very thirsty trees/shrubs and their roots can penetrate very deep into the soil in search of water. If you have planted one of the Melaleuca tree species this could very well lead to problems with the wall foundations in years to come.

Q. Can you please explain the best way of growing lilies in Islamabad?

A. Lilies are surprisingly easy to grow and this is the perfect time to plant them as fresh bulbs should be available right now. They need at least four hours, preferably six hours, of direct sunlight but can be grown in very light shade. The important thing to keep in mind is that soil/compost must be well-drained, otherwise the bulbs will rot. These bulbs enjoy a soil mix of 50 percent sweet earth and 50 percent organic compost. If you are growing in pots, these pots should be at least 12-inch deep and of a decent width/diameter. Dig a hole approximately six inches deep, carefully sit the bulb, roots down and pointed top facing upwards, then carefully cover the bulb with three to four inches of soil/compost mix. Water lightly every other day and, in time, you should be rewarded with a show of the glorious lilies you desire.

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, November 24th, 2019

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