Q. Can you suggest a fast-growing climber that flowers, and is suitable for growing in a large pot outside a bedroom window, on the west-facing side of our house in Lahore? The idea is for the plant to be a privacy screen, one that cuts direct sunlight, making the bedroom a comfortable place to be in. The reason is that my elderly mother-in-law, a plant lover, spends most of her time resting in bed and this would provide her some enjoyment. It would be good if the flowers are fragrant and if the climber is one in which birds are known to nest.

A. What a thoughtful idea! A passion flower vine is what immediately springs to mind. You may need to give it an annual ‘haircut’, in January, to keep it under control. There are quite a few different varieties of this lovely climber/rambler, easily found in your local nurseries and in Pattoki. Some of these are fragrant. Purple sunbirds, often mistakenly called hummingbirds, sometimes weave their wondrous, hanging nests, in passion-flower vines. These tiny birds are a delight to watch as they go about their business.

Q. In which month can vegetables be grown in pots in Karachi? Presumably, seeds will be needed for this so where can I get them from?

A. The majority of vegetables can be grown in large pots and other containers with drainage holes in the base. The trick is not to overcrowd them, so as to provide them enough space to grow to their full size at maturity. A guide as to which vegetables to grow, and when, is provided in this column on the first Sunday of each month. Vegetable seeds are easily found at garden supply stores.

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. Ants are eating the leaves of my rose bushes in Defence, Karachi. Can you suggest an organic method to stop them from doing this?

A. Leaf-cutting ants, bees and beetles can make a mess of plant leaves, carrying the cut pieces of leaf away to utilise in their nests. All of these can be controlled by spraying with a solution of neem oil and water. You can purchase organic neem oil from most garden supply stores. The amount of neem oil to be used in the water mix varies from brand to brand, some brands being stronger than others, so it is important to follow the instructions given on the label. If leaf-cutting insects are not the problem — it could be that the ants are simply feeding on other pests, such as aphids — the neem oil solution will still work equally well.

Q. Your recent column ‘Pushing Perennials’ has inspired me to redo my garden near National Stadium, Karachi. Where can I get saplings of the three plants that you have mentioned?

A. As was clearly mentioned, more than once, the plants were all grown from locally purchased, imported Chinese seeds.

Q. Plants in my west-facing garden in Defence Phase 5, Karachi, have presented several issues. The leaves of pot-planted gerberas are curling and gradually drying up. I have a sweet potato vine growing as ground coverage, but suddenly the leaves have holes in them. A flying insect seems to be chewing the leaves. Lastly, my sadabahar [periwinkle] plants in a flower bed in full sun are mature, but the bark is being eaten up in one plant after another. What can I do to stop or control all these attacks?

A. It sounds as if all of your plants are suffering from insect infestations/attacks. Spraying with organic neem oil should resolve the issues. Please see the answer to one of the above questions for more information on applying neem spray. The gerberas may be exposed to too much direct sun. Moving them to a slightly shady location, as well as spraying them, should help.

Q. Can magnolia trees be grown in Lahore? If yes, then where can I get one from and when to plant it?

A. You will be happy to know that magnolias do very well in the Lahore area. Saplings can be found in some, not all, of your local nurseries over the winter to early spring months. Usually, they are sold during the right season for planting.

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 24th, 2022