GARDENING: ‘WHY IS MY FRUIT FALLING OFF WHILE STILL SMALL?’

Published June 13, 2021
Juicy oranges | Photos by the writer
Juicy oranges | Photos by the writer

Q. There is a problem with the kinnow and other orange trees growing in my Islamabad garden. The trees get full of blossom and this is followed by fruit setting but the fruit falls off when it is still very small. What is wrong and what is the remedy?

A. Lack of soil fertility and/or incorrect irrigation. People tend to forget that fruit trees need lots of nutrients if they are to have enough energy to produce good crops. The easiest way to feed fruit trees is to top-dress/ mulch them with a 7-10 cm layer of old, well-rotted, preferably organic, manure. This should be spread out, in a complete circle around the base of the tree, to a distance of approximately 100 cm. The manure must not touch the tree trunk or bacterial infection may occur. The spread-out manure is directly above the underground root system of the tree and all the nutrients it contains slowly seep down into the soil via the combined actions of irrigation, weather and insect life. Fruit trees should be fed at least twice or preferably thrice a year. Correct irrigation is also of prime importance for crop production. Irrigate heavily, twice a week from the appearance of blossom buds, right through until all of the oranges are harvested. Never allow the soil to completely dry out when the trees are going through the fruiting process, otherwise the fruit will drop off.

Q. I am growing tomatoes on my rooftop kitchen garden, in Islamabad. They started fruiting in April but, by May, they had burnt/dried up leaves. Is this the natural end of their life, is it some disease or am I doing something wrong? I have no previous experience of growing anything and was so proud of my tomato plants.

A. An Islamabad rooftop, in May, is an extremely hot place to be and it is more than likely that your tomato plants have literally been burnt to a crisp by a combination of sun and wind. Rooftop gardens are a wonderful innovation, but plants in them are totally exposed to the vagaries of the weather. Sensitive plants or plants such as tomatoes and lettuce have soft leaves and should be provided with shade for the hottest part of the day (roughly 11am to 4pm) as well as some form of firmly fixed wind protection too. When you are buying tomato seeds, look for ‘indeterminate’ varieties as these have the natural capacity to produce fruits over many weeks. ‘Determinate’ varieties only produce one flush of fruit before beginning to die.

An interesting mix of tomatoes
An interesting mix of tomatoes

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. I planted oregano in my kitchen garden but the leaves are being picked by sparrows. What can I do to stop them?

A. The birds are enjoying a feast! The only way to interrupt their banquet is to construct some sort of raised framework, around and above the plants, and cover it, securely, with very fine netting. Framework can be made out of bamboo, thin tree branches or perhaps you have some plastic/metal tubing lying around that can be recycled.

Sunwarmed peaches
Sunwarmed peaches

Q. You recently replied to a reader’s question about plantation in a graveyard in Karachi, a subject usually ignored by local horticulturalists. I have a similar question for Sialkot and other fertile regions of Punjab. I planted a large size sukh chain, ‘ficus’ king, Amaltas, kachnar and pilkhan in our graveyard in a rural area of Sialkot. The results, so far, are not very encouraging, maybe for want of watering and the predations of cattle. For planting in graveyards throughout the area, could you suggest some fast-growing plants that are hardy, resilient, not liked by animals (both cattle and earth diggers), and not prone to insect attack?

A. You may like to consider planting neem trees as, once they get going, they do grow quite fast and cattle do not relish the bitter leaves. Eucalyptus, a very controversial tree species, is another distinct possibility, as is the silk-cotton tree ‘Bombax ceiba’ with its very thorny trunk to deter grazing animals. These species will also tolerate a certain amount of soil salinity, which the region is increasingly prone too. I am not aware of any tree species that are specifically not liked by earth digging/tunnelling animals such as porcupines, armadillos and desert foxes. Whatever you decide to try, the young trees need regular watering for 12-18 months, until their root systems are fully established. I suggest you employ the ancient ‘matka irrigation’ system which I have written about, on a number of occasions, in the past.

Q. My peach tree in Islamabad yields much fruit but the fruit is very small. How can the fruit size be improved?

A. Please refer to a similar problem with orange trees, which is answered above.

Q. Having recently come across an article you wrote, some years ago, that mentioned a purple ‘wisteria sinensis’ you saw growing in DHA, Karachi, I have become obsessed with growing one at my own house. I live in the same area so it shouldn’t be a problem. Can you tell me how old that particular ‘wisteria’ was when you saw it? Also, please share a photograph of it again to give us plant enthusiasts a chance to witness its beauty.

A. The article you mention was published about 25 years ago! In those days, I used a film camera, not a digital one so, unfortunately, I no longer have the photographs of that particular ‘wisteria’.

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, June 13th, 2021

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