Q. I have Dahlia tubers saved in my cupboard from last winter and they are in good shape and ready to be replanted. I pulled the tubers out from their soil and wrapped them in a newspaper after I dried them in partial shade. I want to know: 1) In which month should I plant them? 2) In what soil mix? 3) How much sunshine should I give it initially?

A. Dahlias are planted at different times in different areas of the country and, unfortunately, you have not specified your location. It is, however, a general rule that dahlia tubers (and seeds) are planted from late July to the end of September in hot spots such as Karachi. During October and November for spring flowering, in full sun, in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad (if plants sprout quickly they may need night-time protection from possible frost). They can also be planted again in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad in early spring: this time in partial shade rather than full sun so that they don’t burn up in the summer heat. In upland areas, they should be planted in full sun during spring.

Dahlias enjoy humus-rich soil which must be well-drained as, even though they require plenty of water, the tubers will rot if the soil remains wet for any length of time.

Q. Please recommend some fast-growing trees for plantation in Rawalpindi to provide shade to west-open windows. Since these will be on the house front, can we plant some grass-friendly flowering trees there?

A. Jacaranda is top of the list anytime for your location. It is easy to find the saplings — they grow quite quickly once settled in and their gorgeous, bright blue blossom is a glory to behold in spring. Another benefit is that these are deciduous trees. Losing their leaves in winter, they allow winter sunlight to filter through the branches and warm your home. Unfortunately, no tree is completely grass-friendly but grass fares better beneath deciduous species than beneath evergreen ones.

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. I planted two lemon trees in my garden. One of them has died and the other has hardly grown. Can you please suggest how to make the surviving one flourish?

A. Lemon trees need plenty of sunshine and well-drained, rich soil in order to do well. It could be that the location you chose for them lacks sunshine or that the soil is lacking in necessary nutrients. You need to improve soil conditions on an emergency basis. As the surviving tree is still small, I suggest that you carefully dig it out and, if the amount of sunshine is good at the present location, mix lots of old, well-rotted, organic manure/home-made organic compost, into the soil and then replant the tree. Before putting the tree back in, add a handful of rusty iron (not stainless steel) nails and a boiled, clean, cow knuckle bone, in the base of the planting hole. The nails will provide iron over a very long period of time and the bone will provide calcium whilst the manure/compost will provide all else the tree needs for some years to come. Keep the tree irrigated during dry, hot weather and it should reward you in time.

Q. I have planted Shasta daisies from seeds in Lahore. On the seed packet, it is written that it takes six to eight months for the plants to mature and I am concerned that they may burn up in the scorching summer heat experienced here.

A. Grow the plants in large clay pots or other suitable containers and move them out of direct sun into partial shade during the summer months.

Q. I don’t like using manure in my garden, so I use kitchen waste compost and old leaves instead. Plus, I make liquid fertiliser from banana peels and moringa leaves and sometimes use Epsom salts mixed in water. Are these things enough to keep my plants and soil healthy?

A. Yes, they are.

Q. Can wisteria flowers be grown in the Narowal region? If so, where can I find a suitable variety?

A. As long as the plant roots and bottom four feet of the stem are in shade, the top of the vine is in partial shade and it is watered regularly in hot weather, Wisteria sinensis should be okay. You may be able to obtain plants from nurseries in Gujranwala or possibly Sialkot, or perhaps you can order from Lahore or Patoki, having the vine transported by bus before winter is over.

Q. Where can I get American brands of soil mixtures, that I see on YouTube gardening videos. I live in Lahore.

A. You can’t. Please choose from the often excellent local soil/compost mixes available in the market here.

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, January 19th, 2020