A. The compost bins mentioned in the article on zucchini were outdoor varieties. As far as I know, Bokashi bins are not available here and, even if they were, are expensive and messy to use — you have to keep draining off the liquid, albeit from a built in tap, and the remaining sludge still needs to be added to an outdoor compost bin to further rot down.

The use of bran in Bokashi bins is, as far as I can figure out, pretty cosmetic. I suggest that you purchase a black polythene dustbin with a tightly fitting lid of a size to fit underneath your sink. Place a large, leak proof bin liner inside and slowly fill this with used tea bags, vegetable peelings, egg shells and the like but do NOT add any remains of cooked food, anything containing oil, fish, meat or chicken. If the bin liner is kept totally sealed, and the dustbin lid kept firmly closed, just being opened for seconds when you are topping it up, then there should not be any bad smell. A certain amount of liquid will form during the composting process but this should be minimal provided you only add dry ingredients to the bin. It can be helpful to drain off this liquid, though I'm not sure how best to do this, as it may begin to smell. This liquid, diluted by up to 100 times, is used as fertiliser for all sorts of plants but it may smell a little and may attract flies so is best for outdoor use only.

A much easier alternative is to break open your used tea bags and scatter the contents on top of the soil in your plant pots, any goodness gets washed down to your plant roots during watering.

Q. Which new varieties of fruit trees can I cultivate in Karachi? I already have chikoo, papaya, lemon, pomegranate, bair, falsa, guava, coconut and sharifa. I have maalta, too, but it is very small and I don't know if it will fruit.

A. Dates, grapefruits, star fruit, dragon fruit, jammun, lasura, grapes, bananas, pineapples, strawberries, cornelian cherries, passion fruit, mango and akebia.

Q. Can you tell me where to buy lavender plants and orchids in Karachi, please?

A. Please search in Dawn classified, Sunday is best; it is against company policy for me to recommend suppliers here.

Q. The lovely magnolia tree in my Lahore garden has begun to issue forth many shiny red seeds from its pods. How should I assist them to germinate and in what kind of soil?

A. Collect up the seeds as they fall and sow half of them just under the soil surface in clay pots. Good quality, free draining sweet soil is best. Stand these pots somewhere in the vicinity of your thriving magnolia tree as it is obviously quite happy. Don't water them right now as the weather is cold but let nature take its course. Sow the rest of the seeds after temperatures have risen in spring, watering will be necessary then. Above all, be patient as magnolia seeds can take one to two years to germinate!

Q. I have been trying to grow a tomato plant in Karachi in a pot. It was growing splendidly until it was about a foot tall when some of its leaves became mottled and yellow with grey wriggly lines. On closer inspection I found tiny grey fly-like creatures on the leaves. What are these pests and how do I get rid of them?

A. Leaf miners are the problem. Remove all infected leaves and dispose them off safely. Spray the rest of the plant with organic derris.

Q. I have been growing money plants for over 30 years now, first in Kuwait, then Kenya and now Karachi. I have not changed my growing methods at all but over the last few months the plant leaves have become black and no new growth developed so we got rid of these, put in new plants with new soil but the same problem has occurred. What shall we do?

A. Sounds like your plants are having a problem with sooty mould which may be controlled by careful washing of the leaves, using a sponge and warm, soapy water but ensuring that no mould infected water drips further down the plant or onto the soil. This indicates that you need to improve air circulation around your plants whilst protecting them from cold draughts.