Q. I have a big orange tree in my lawn in Islamabad and it fruits well every year. The problem is that grass doesn’t grow below the tree and that area doesn’t give a good look. Please advise what is the solution so that the area below the tree also looks green. Are there any small plants that can grow under the shade of a massive orange tree?

A. The reason that there is no grass under your orange tree is already mentioned in your query. The big tree probably has a looming, dark shadow under it, which may inhibit the growth of any grass. Considering the prevailing weather and growing conditions of Islamabad, there are certain plants that can be grown under this tree to give your lawn a better look. They include the likes of syngonium, money plants or pothos, hostas, spider plants and asparagus fern, to name a few of the ornamental plants that may easily grow under the shade.

Q. I wanted to get your advice regarding some pine trees along my boundary wall in Rawalpindi. Their leaves have started yellowing and browning, especially on the inner and lower branches. I am sharing a few photographs along with a short description to give you a better idea. I would appreciate it if you could take a look at these photographs and let me know what you think might be going on and what steps I should take?

A. The phenomenon that you are mentioning is called “needle dropping”, which is a common and natural phenomenon for pine trees, typically in autumn, when older leaves turn brown or yellow and fall off. At the same time, green leaves continue to grow on the tree. However, excessive or off-season needle drop can be a sign of distress, caused by disease, pests or environmental factors.g

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I would also like to point out that there is a possibility of the soil hardening up. It usually happens because of under-watering of trees and plants growing along the boundary wall of the house. The water stress causes compaction, which can result in premature needle drop. Lack of aeration and fungal infections may also cause the same symptoms but, in your case, they don’t appear to be the issue. If the needle drop isn’t part of the plant life cycle, then I would advise you to revisit your watering schedule and assess the ground soil around the tree.

Q. I have attached the photograph of a tea plant that I brought to Larkana from Karachi. The plant stopped growing recently and I don’t know why? Could it be because of Larkana’s hot weather?

A. The photograph that you have shared is not of a tea plant. The plant, leaves and branches of a tea plant are different and you may have seen them in any of the tea advertisements broadcast on TV. The good news is that your kettle may not necessarily run dry as it is a lemongrass tea plant. Dried lemongrass leaf tea is a caffeine-free, herbal tea.

Lemongrass is usually grown in a container or within confined spaces because it is an invasive plant. One reason your lemongrass has stopped growing is because the plant does not grow well when exposed to extreme sunlight or heat of over 40 degrees Celsius, as is the case in Larkana. Similarly, under-watering may also result in reduced plant size. Identify the reason and start working on it.

Q. I have a few unwanted small plants growing in my already potted plant. What should I do with them and how can I stop them from growing in the future?

A. You may need to pick out these small plants or weeds. Either destroy them or put them in your compost bin. Otherwise, they will extract nutrients from the soil meant for the originally potted plants. To stop any further growth, you may cover the rest of the pot (where nothing is growing) with cardboard. This reduces the chances of the growth of unwanted weeds or small plants.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, November 30th, 2025