Q. My uncle brought for me, from Canada, a seed packet for mixed varieties of flowers for bees. I followed the instructions given on the back but, apart from a couple of shoots that dried up after a few days, nothing came up. I used organic compost that I especially got for this project, watered every evening and kept the pots of seeds on a sunny balcony. I am very sad about this and want to know what went wrong. I am an eight-year-old girl living in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and want to help save the planet.

A. Please don’t be put off by this unfortunate result. I’m sure you followed all the steps advised. The seeds were intended for growing in Canada, which has very different climatic, and soil conditions. Not everything that grows in Canada will grow here. Your uncle meant well, but it would be better if you stick to growing locally sourced seeds until you have more experience. We wish you the very best of luck in working towards saving our planet. You are setting a fine example.

Q. Just one of my areca palms, planted in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, last year, is growing. The others are barely surviving and two have already died. What should I do?

A. In order to reply to you, I need to know exactly how you planted them, in what type of soil, drainage provision, how much direct sun per day, the amount of irrigation and kind of fertiliser used, plus the age and size of the trees.

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. I want to grow the best indoor plants for providing oxygen, and to help relieve anxiety. I am especially interested in growing lavender in Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Karachi.

A. Indoor plants with the highest oxygen generating capacity include the following: Peace lily, spider plant, money plant, snake plant/mother-in-law’s-tongue, aloe vera and areca palm. Lavender is not suitable for indoor cultivation. The presence of lots of indoor plants is an automatic mood improver and relaxant which, in turn, helps alleviate anxiety.

Q. Can donkey dung be used instead of horse dung for gardening?

A. Yes it can but, as with horse manure, it must be completely rotted down/composted first.

Q. What is wrong with my courgette plants? They were healthy with lots of big green leaves and many courgettes were growing. Suddenly, overnight, the leaves are covered in white spots and drying up. How can I save them? I live fairly close to the sea in Defence, Karachi, and growing courgettes for the first time.

A. Powdery mildew is a common problem with all members of the cucurbita family of plants, courgettes, squash and cucumbers among them. It is caused by the warm, humid atmosphere prevalent in the run up to the summer monsoons, and there really isn’t an effective cure. You can try spraying the leaves with milk or with 1 dessertspoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a litre of warm water. This only delays the inevitable loss of the plants. I suggest that you remove all infected leaves, disposing of them in the garbage, not on the compost heap/bin, and continue to harvest courgettes as long as the plants last.

Q. How to get rid of worms from the soil? They eat the roots of everything I try to grow.

A. If you are talking about earthworms, please be assured that they are the gardener’s friend, not foe. No matter how much local lore insists, earthworms do not eat plant roots. These industrious creatures work hard on creating and maintaining soil health. Explain your plant problems in detail so I can help resolve the issues.

Q. Our new house in Islamabad has a small, paved courtyard with a high wall around it. Since it gets plenty of natural light, I plan to grow vegetables in pots and containers. Please recommend which vegetables give good crops when grown in pots and containers.

A. There are lots of veggies that meet these requirements and, depending on the time of year, of course, I would suggest the following: Lettuce, spinach, leaf beet/Swiss chard, mustard greens, mixed salad greens, mesclun mixes, endive, peas, French beans, chillies, aubergines, capsicums, tomatoes and a selection of herbs such as parsley, coriander, basil, thyme and sage.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened

Published in Dawn, EOS, July 10th, 2022