Q: I live in Bahadrabad, Karachi and have a problem with my torai plant. White lines emerge on some of the leaves and soon the leaves are covered with this and die. Please tell me an organic way to deal with this problem.

A: The leaves are under attack by leaf miners. These tunnel inside the leaves and cause so much internal damage that the leaves, as you so rightly mentioned, die. Leaf miners are the larvae of some species of flies, beetles, moths and certain other insects. The easiest way to deal with them is to squash them inside the leaves as soon as you notice their presence. Heavily infested leaves should be cut off the plant and discarded, after squashing the leaf miners, sensibly and not in the compost heap/bin.

Q: I sowed coriander seeds in a pot at my home in North Nazimabad, Karachi. Then I came to know that the seeds must be split before sowing. How do I do this? Also, in what location should I keep the pot, how many days until germination and how much water to give?

A: Goodness gracious! I wonder where on earth you got that information from. You must plant only whole seeds not split ones. Split coriander seeds are highly unlikely to germinate as they are damaged, in most cases, quite beyond repair. Sow whole seeds just under the surface of the soil/compost, space them out about half an inch apart as sowing them closer does not allow the seedlings enough room to thrive. At this time of the year the pot should be placed in full sun. Germination takes from three to 10 days depending on the freshness and viability of the seeds. Water, evening watering is best, every two to three days depending on the ambient temperature. Never allow the soil/compost to completely dry out between watering but also take care not to over-water otherwise the seedlings will rot. Ensure that the drainage hole in the base of the pot does not get blocked as free drainage is important.

Q: When is the next season for sowing cucumber, lettuce and spinach?

A: You have forgotten to include your location! However, lettuce and spinach can both be sown right now irrespective of which part of the country you reside in. Cucumber needs warmth so this will now need to wait until spring.

Q: I have a guava tree at my house: It gets plenty of sunshine and gives a lot of fruit but the fruit is always full of worms. How can I prevent this from happening?

A: The problem is those nasty, difficult to control, fruit flies which lay their eggs just underneath the skin of the fruit. The eggs hatch out and the worms you see are the result. Netting your guava tree, with a very fine mesh as soon as the fruit begins to form is the best solution. Also, ensure, throughout the fruiting season, that all infected fruits are picked up and safely disposed off, not in the compost bin/heap, to reduce infestation next time around.

Q: Are petunia seeds available in Lahore?

A: Yes they are. You should find a good selection of seeds in your local seed supply stores. Prices vary according to type. Petunias are available in both single and double-flowered forms, as dwarf, medium, tall or trailing plants, and in a wide variety of single and bi-coloured forms in a rainbow of colours. Seed price and number of seeds per packet varies depending on the type. Seeds of hybrid species, from which you cannot collect your own seed for the following season, are generally the most expensive.

Q: I want some flowering, evergreen plants for my garden in Lahore. Can you provide some suggestions?

A: Carnations, chrysanthemums, gerbera and roses should all meet your requirements as do a wide variety of shrubs. The easiest thing to do is to make an expedition around all of your local nurseries and see what they have to offer. It is difficult for me to be more specific as you omitted to inform me of the size of your garden area and whether you want small, medium or large plants/shrubs or even trees.

Q: How can I cultivate moss in Karachi from scratch?

A: First of all you need to track down a source of moss spores which may not be an easy task. Then you need to follow instructions, they can differ according to species. Basically though, moss needs permanently damp, shady conditions if it is to thrive. In Karachi, this may be problematic during very hot weather when, to maintain the necessary level of humidity, it will need to be sprayed at least twice each day with warm water. Generally speaking, moss spores are pressed into the soil surface and then kept damp at all times. Germination rates and time varies from species to species.

Please continue sending your gardening questions to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. Answers to selected questions will appear in a future issue of the magazine. This takes time. The writer will not respond directly by e-mail. E-mails with attachments will not be opened. Please note: The writer’s garden is not open to the public.