Q. I recently bought some succulents and need to know how to care for them during the intense heat of Karachi summers. I would also like to know how to multiply them please.

A. There are literally hundreds of succulent varieties in the market these days and the care they need can vary tremendously. Without knowing which varieties you have, it is only possible to give a general reply. The heat is unlikely to be a problem, although some succulents need summer shade or else they can suffer sunburn. The thing to keep in mind is that succulents are, basically, desert plants and need very little water, even in the heat. Watering should be restricted to once a month in winter and once a week in summer. More plants die from over-watering than from any other cause. Most succulents are propagated by taking cuttings from a joint in the parent plant although, yet again, this can vary depending on the variety.

Q. I have had a musambi (sweet lime tree) in the garden of my Haripur home for more than 15 years. It has always given good fruit but this time, the fruit is very small and weak. The tree leaves are yellowing and some branches are dying. Can you recommend a targeted fertiliser or supplement that will save it?

A. Apply a seaweed-based — preferably organic — fertiliser to give the tree a necessary boost. Also, cut out any dead or diseased branches and dispose of these away from your garden. Finally, do your best to ensure that the tree roots do not get waterlogged at any time. Too much water can also be responsible for the yellowing and shedding of citrus leaves.

All your gardening queries are answered here

Q. I live in Karachi, in a flat with a very narrow gallery. I plan to dedicate it to plants. Due to the narrow space, I can only have hanging planters that can be hung from the grill. I want bails or climbing plants that will climb up the grill and, essentially, over time, create a green wall. What plants do you recommend for this? I would like suggestions for trailing plants too. These I would put in the main gallery which is bigger.

A. It would be helpful to know the width of each gallery along with the amount of direct sunshine they receive each day. Also, the orientation is important too. Are the galleries on the north, south, east or west side of the building, and are they affected by wind? Without the aforementioned specifics it is hard to know which plants to recommend as, for instance, some climbers have extensive root systems which — bougainvillea for example — need large pots to contain them and, perhaps you do not have gallery space for the pots. Relatively small climbers you may like to try, if conditions are suitable of course, include: money plants, morning glory, asparagus fern, mussel shell creeper, philodendron and climbing nasturtiums. For trailing plants, you could use tradescantia and zebrine, although money plants and asparagus ferns can trail down too. If you need more precise information, please ask again and include gallery measurements, etc.

Q. My custard apples turned black on the tree. Even when I took some of them off the tree and wrapped them in paper to ripen, they still turned black. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

A. An infection known as anthracnose is the likely culprit. Anthracnose is weather-related and was probably initiated by winter rains. All you can do is to ensure that you remove each and every single infected fruit from the tree, and from the ground beneath it, and dispose of it well away from your garden. Do not add infected fruits to your compost bin/heap. Removing all infected fruit is a must to reduce chances of the infection lingering on in the soil but, be warned, if rains arrive at the same time next winter, the infection is liable to reoccur.

Q. I have thyme, oregano, Kale, lemon balm and basil seeds that someone brought for me from London. What is the best time to sow these in Lahore? Can they be sown directly in the garden or do they need to be started off in seed trays?

A. All are best started off in seed trays/pots and planted out, in prepared ground, when large enough to handle with ease. Kale is a delicious, highly nutritious, green leafy vegetable, which flourishes over the winter months. It is best sown in October and should — you harvest leaf by leaf — continue cropping well into the following spring. Thyme can be sown from October through until March. Oregano, lemon balm and basil can all be sown right now and on until the end of April.

Q. Will you please guide us as to when different vegetables should be sown — vegetables such as, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, mooli, green chillies, saag and coriander — as we can grow these in the backyards of our houses?

A. A seed-sowing guide is included in this column on the first Sunday of each month. All the best in your vegetable endeavours!

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, March 28th, 2021