Goji berries A. The process differs from plant species to plant species but, basically, ensure that the suckers / runners have formed strong root systems of their own before, using a sharp knife, cutting them, cleanly, off the parent plant. Next, immediately plant the separated suckers / runners in prepared pots / ground, water in and take special care of them to help them become strongly established.
Q. Please recommend a fast growing tree for Islamabad.
A. Your question raises many more questions: do you want a fruiting, flowering or purely ornamental tree? Do you have room for a large one, a medium one or a small one? Do you want a tree which grows straight up without spreading or would you prefer a tree that provides, in time, lots of shade? Generally speaking, however, small to medium sized trees are preferable in urban areas. Therefore, if you would like fruit, opt for an orange, lemon or grapefruit, an apricot, plum, peach or pomegranate and you won’t go far wrong. If flowering, then Amaltas is pretty, as is Lagerstroemia. If purely ornamental then one of the numerous species of Ficus on offer in all nurseries should be fine.
Q. I started to expand my small garden about a year ago. Initially, the ground didn’t show any signs of salinity but, with the passage of time, salinity began to appear and now, even though I changed the soil in affected areas, there are salty patches all over. Kindly guide me on how to resolve the issue. I reside in Lahore.
A. Salinity is, unfortunately, a rapidly increasing problem in many areas of the country and, as tube wells are drilled deeper in search of illusive water supplies, the problem is going to become far worse. There are ways of treating soil, with gypsum for example, to reduce salinity but, in your situation, I suggest that you construct raised beds, to be filled with brought in sweet earth, plus, homemade organic compost, and grow your plants in these and also in large clay pots / containers. This really is the simplest solution in difficult circumstances.