Q. Two years ago I started growing different plants at my home. I recently purchased a dozen grow bags for my house from a local gardening products seller. This is the first time that I am using these cloth-made grow bags instead of the usual clay pots. I filled these bags with the basic soil variant purchased from a nearby nursery. I have planted seeds of vegetables and herbs during this winter season. My question is: how much should I water the plants in these containers and how different are they from earthen clay pots?

A. I personally find grow bags to be very easy-to-use containers. They are easy to carry, especially if you live high up in a building or prefer rooftop gardening. Similarly, the handles that are usually provided in the grow bags also make them easy to drag with the plant.

There are no special set of prerequisites or precautions for grow bags that may be needed as compared to clay pots. You can water the soil in such a manner that it keeps moist till the next watering schedule. Utmost care should be taken that the soil does not turn dry, at least till the germination of seeds. This fact remains constant whether you grow plants in clay pots or grow bags.

However, there is a very important concern that I noticed in the photographs that you shared. The soil in most of your grow bags is half-filled, or even less than that in some cases. It would be better if at least three-fourths of the bag was filled. You can’t add soil to it right now, as it may displace the seeds or hamper the progress of young seedlings. Since you have already sown the seeds, I would suggest that you let them grow this way for now. Once the seedling grows, add a little soil around the growing plant. Keep repeating the process as the plant continues to grow over the next few weeks, till you reach the required soil surface level in your grow bags.

All your gardening queries answered here…

Q. This is with reference to my earlier email and your subsequent response to it about my lemon tree printed last month. The lemon tree is planted in my house in Karachi. I try to water it after every two to three days. We do spray it with pesticides, purchased from plant stores, when required. Can you please recommend a good spray for the lemon tree?

A. I have already responded to your query in detail earlier. One thing that I have noted here is the watering schedule of your plant. Generally, it is recommended to water any of the citrus plants daily, rather than after every two to three days. Watering quantity can be reduced or adjusted accordingly. As recommended earlier, you should use a copper based pesticide. For that, check the composition of the brand of pesticide you are using. You can refer to my previous response about how to use this pesticide on your plant.

Q. My gardener planted these small plants (see image) a few weeks ago in the backyard of my house. He has not been coming to work for some time now as he has been unwell. Are these fruits, herbs, flowers or vegetables?

A. These are plants of the marigold variety. By the time these lines appear in this section, your garden will most likely be dotted with some of the beautiful orange, yellow, white or multi-coloured flowers of the same family. I hope your gardener gets well soon to appreciate his efforts.

Q. I read your article about chikoos earlier this month. I also want to grow a fruit tree in my house, but a guava one! Should I purchase a small plant from the plants nursery or buy the seeds instead? I am looking for quick results.

A. It is obvious that buying a plant directly will ensure that it has already had a better germination rate and has survived a season or two. Needless to say, this will always have a better and quicker fruit producing capacity and capability.

Q. I want to line my house’s boundary wall with small pots of different coloured petunia flower seedlings for the upcoming season. What would be a bargain price for seedlings in Karachi?

A. You may get a seedling pot with around 10 to 15 seedlings of petunia for as low as Rs 100-150, depending largely upon your bargaining strength and the locality where you are purchasing these seedlings from.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 31st, 2023