Lawn, lawn go away
Q. You discourage people to have lawns with expensive grass and encourage them to have less costly, low maintenance, less water requiring, alternatives. What exactly are these alternatives? I live in Islamabad where houses generally have small to medium-sized lawns.
A. I am delighted that you have asked as, in doing so, it indicates an interest in switching to a more sustainable type of gardening than lawns can ever be. Such alternatives include the following: replacing lawns with neatly laid gravel / stone chips which may, or may not, have lower / vegetable beds as a part of the design. Replacing lawns with a suitable number of trees for the area involved and then under-planting these trees with ornamental, edible or otherwise useful plants. Laying paving stones / marble slabs / natural stone / artistically arranged bricks, instead of grass, allowing for planting areas here and there among them, is, once done, low maintenance and can be very attractive. If the area is to be used for sitting / dining outside, then concreting it, leaving a plantable border all around, is another, easy to keep clean, practical idea.
Replacing expensive lawns with low-maintenence landscaping is a good idea to consider
Q. I am interested in growing kale as a green vegetable at my home in Rawalpindi. I cannot, however, find the seeds in my local seed store. I did an internet search and discovered that its Urdu name is ‘Karam Kala’ which is a type of saag already growing in Punjab. Please tell me if the kale you mention is the same thing as ‘Karam Kala’.
A. There are many varieties of what is, generally, called kale and yes, ‘Karam Kala’ is one of them. Botanically speaking, kale is a member of the diverse family Brassica oleracea which also includes cabbages, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. All require similar soil conditions but sowing times vary according to each specific variety. Kale / ‘Karam Kala’ is best grown over the winter to early spring months.
Q. What are the local names for herbs such as rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, etc? The shops selling dried herbs can rarely be trusted as they sell expired stuff and sometimes give something else completely. These herbs are prescribed by Hakeems, so you can imagine the problems patients are facing.
A. It is somewhat surprising that Hakeems are prescribing imported herbs such as rosemary and tarragon to their patients now. Marjoram — this is indigenous in northern parts of the country, is understandable of course. As for local names: imported species of herbs rarely have local names, aside from mispronounced English or mispronounced botanical ones. This is true of both rosemary and tarragon which are sold, as dried herbs or as nursery plants / seeds, simply as rosemary / rosemarinous / rozmari / rusmari and tarragon as tarragon. Marjoram is known as ‘marzamjoosh / mirzamjosh / sathra’ depending on which part of the country you are in. Flax is ‘alsi’, basil is ‘tulsi / niazbo’, dill — ‘sowa’ and fenugreek is ‘methi’. For others, I suggest that you search on the internet for English / Urdu names.