GARDENING: ‘WHAT PLANTS ARE SUITABLE TO CULTIVATE IN A GRAVEYARD?’

Published April 18, 2021
Hot chillies | Photos by the writer
Hot chillies | Photos by the writer

Q. My very dear friend has recently lost his mother in post-Covid complications. His mother’s resting place is in Karachi and he is based in Lahore. The wilderness around the grave has haunted him since he visited it last time. I was wondering if you can suggest something, requiring little maintenance, that can make the grave a greener resting place.

A. Graveyards tend to be sadly neglected here and any attempt, no matter how small, at making even one of them, peacefully green, is laudable. Saline soil and brackish water make this a difficult task. There are, however, a few trees, shrubs and plants that meet your criteria. If there is space for a tree, Thespesia populnea (Tulip tree), is a good choice. It bears pretty, pale yellow, tulip-like flowers, on and off all year round, and is very tolerant of saline soil. The tall growing shrub, Thivetia nerifolia, hardy and salt-resistant, has white, peach or yellow bells for most of the year and Nerium odorum (Oleander) — Kaner in Urdu — with fragrant flowers in reds, pinks or white, is a pretty tough customer as well.

Perennial Vinca, with pink or white flowers, is a fairly low-growing, hardy, weather-tolerant, perennial flower which is often planted in graveyards throughout Sindh. All of these will need watering heavily, at least twice a week, until they settle in, so you would need the cooperation of a graveyard attendant for the first two to three months at least. Once any of these are established, watering can be cut back to almost nothing and, eventually, be stopped altogether.

Juicy tomatoes
Juicy tomatoes

Q. Can tomatoes, hot peppers, cucumbers and sunflowers be grown from seed sown in July in Karachi? Should the seeds be sown in large pots or directly in the ground? Are there any other fruits and vegetables that can be planted in July?

A. Yes, they can, but seedlings will need protection from direct summer sun and from potentially damaging monsoon rains. It is best to start the seeds off in pots/trays for the aforementioned reasons; only transplanting them into their well-prepared, growing area once they are well-established. A guide to seed-sowing appears in this column on the first Sunday of each month. The July guide will appear on July 4, 2021.

All your gardening queries are answered here

Cool cucumbers
Cool cucumbers

Q. Last season, my pomegranate flowered heavily but the majority of flowers got a black hole in their bud and I found caterpillars inside. The few remaining flowers began to turn into fruit but got covered in some fungus. The tree has just started flowering again so please suggest something I can do to prevent a repeat of last season’s problems. I reside in Karachi.

A. The problem is caused by the larvae of Deudorix Isocrates — Anaar butterfly — which is a pomegranate fruit-borer and is the bane of pomegranate-growers everywhere. An organic solution to this is to thoroughly spray the tree, when flowers are in bud and again when flowers are fully open, with a warm water solution containing 95 percent warm water, four percent pure neem oil and one percent pure, unadulterated, liquid soap: the soap content helps the neem oil stick to all parts of the shrub/flowers. Do not spray when the sun is up. For the following two reasons, spray as close to sunset as possible: 1. sun can burn wet leaves, 2. neem oil can kill pollinating insects, such as bees, which tend to return to their homes come sunset.

Q. What growing conditions are required by red maple hibiscus, as I have planted one in Karachi, and how best to care for it, please?

A. Red maple-leafed hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella) is native to tropical Africa and flourishes in slightly acidic, well-drained soil, in full sun. The plant should be watered two to three times a week, from mid-spring to mid-autumn, with little, if any, water given in winter. Prune regularly to encourage bush formation. Woody cuttings can be propagated.

Q. Where is the best place to get infor­mation about olive cultivation from? I am thinking about planting a few of these wonderful trees in my garden outside Lahore but want to discuss the feasibility with a professional in this field first.

A. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (Parc) is the best government department to seek advice from. Alternatively, you could ask Faisalabad Agricultural University, your local forest department or do a search on Facebook for olive cultivation in Pakistan; there are two or three pages dedicated to the subject of olive cultivation.

Q. Does Moringa have any benefit in the treatment of Covid? Where can I get its fresh leaves from in Karachi and how to use them medicinally?

A. This column is dedicated to gardening not medical issues.

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, April 18th, 2021

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