Q. I am based in Multan and I want to utilise my house roof space for rooftop gardening. I have planned to plant palm trees table palm, bottle palm, fan palm along with some others. Can these grow well in a pot? Give some worthy tips for a beginner.

A. Small growing palm trees grow quite well in very large pots/containers as long as soil nutrients are maintained and the drainage holes in the base of the pot are kept clear of obstructions standing the pots on bricks/stones to keep them off the roof/ground is a great aid to drainage. Pots/ containers must be very heavy so that they and the palms they contain do not blow over in high winds. Bottle palms are far too big at maturity to be grown in pots/ containers so please delete them from your shopping list. Additionally, most palm trees prefer to have shade for at least some part of the day and I fear that, unless adequate shade is provided (by securely fixed shade netting for example) the palms on an exposed rooftop, especially in the summer heat of Multan, will get wind/sun burnt and possibly die off. In fact, again due to the Multan climate, shade is an absolute must for any rooftop garden to thrive.Q. I planted 10 Sundar khani grape vines at my home two years ago. The vines are healthy and full of leaves. When can I expect grapes to appear? A. The vines should begin flowering and fruiting next year, provided that you are tending to all of their needs and pruning them correctly.

Q. What is the Urdu name for comfrey and where can I find it in Karachi? A. There is no Urdu name for comfrey.

As far as I am aware, comfrey plants are not generally available in Karachi but they can be grown, with care, from seed.

Q. My chillies are infected with phytophthora disease. I know it is difficult to control but can you suggest something, please? I live in district Sheikhupura.

A. Once chillies and other members of the capsicum family have been infected with phytophthora nothing can be done to save them. The only way to try to avoid this disease is by ensuring that the area they are grown in has maximum drainage at all times as phytophthora breeds in damp/ humid/waterlogged conditions.

Q. My guava plant, in Karachi, has grown some fruit for only the second time in its life but the fruit does not appear to be ripening even after a wait of three months. What can I do? A. Be patient, please. They will ripen in time.Q. I have a 10-year-old lime tree in my Karachi garden and it is giving lots of fruit each year. A few weeks ago, I noticed a gummy substance oozing from the base of its trunk just a few inches above the soil. Please advise if it`s a matter of concern and if so, what can I do about it. I live in DHA Karachi.

A. The problem is gummosis and it usually attacks citrus and some other fruit trees when drainage is not as good as it should be. Improving drainage is essential otherwise, over time, the disease will cause the tree roots to rot and the tree will die. Gummosis can also infect a tree through an open wound such as if the tree bark has been damaged by something such as being nicked/gouged by grass cutting machinery or a sharp implement like a scythe or drattle. If it is the latter, carefully remove the infected bark, exposing the cambium layer beneath to light and air. This will encourage it to heal.

Q. I have a coconut tree which was planted 23 years ago. After a 12-year wait it began giving lots of fruit but, since last year, the fruit dries up and drops off at a very tiny size. I have fed the tree with fish waste but the situation hasn`t improved. I reside in DHA Karachi.

A. Shedding of `buttons` (as tiny coconuts are called) can happen for a variety of reasons including: fungal infection, pest attack, incorrect nutrition, incorrect irrigation and environmental factors. I suggest that you collect some of the buttons and take them to your local department of agriculture for analysis and pertinent advice as I would need much more information to even hazard a guess.

Q. I have an issue with white worms inside my chikoo fruit. I live in Karachi.

Can you please help? A. The problem is fruit fly larvac.

Please refer to this column for a solution which appeared on January 5, 2020 in this newspaper.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com.

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