Q. I exposed my aloe vera plant to sunlight for one-and-a-half days. Now its leaves are turning a yellowish-brown colour from roots to tip, whereas its leaves were so green before that. How can I promote its healthy growth and how can I avoid the discolouration recurring?

A. If it happened because of the sunlight, then you don’t need to worry. Generally, the causes of discolouration in aloe vera are direct sunlight, cold weather and excessive watering. If you want the plant to remain green, you should transfer it in bright light to a place which receives indirect sunlight. Since the plant is succulent, ensure it is watered frequently if it’s placed in direct sunlight.

Q. I read your article ‘The Amazing Neem’ and would like your advice on using its fresh leaves. I have a neem tree outside our house in Karachi. I am suffering from different cardiac issues, including diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome, for which I take relevant medication. I underwent a double angioplasty procedure and received two stents. Can fresh neem leaves be used to improve the treatment of any of the above diseases?

A. The conditions you mentioned in your email cannot be treated with online consultation, through the newspaper or on social media platforms. As an allopathic doctor myself, I cannot suggest how the neem tree leaves can improve your conditions. However, an herbal specialist and/or those following Ayurvedic medicine may help you in this regard. Please also note that a good practitioner, regardless of his background in any medical science, would definitely examine you in person and seek your complete medical history and current medical status before making any suggestions. Please keep this in mind while taking advice from any of the herbal specialists regarding the usage of neem tree leaves.

All your gardening queries answered here

Q. I got a few plant cuttings wrapped in newspaper from my relatives in Faisalabad. What is the ideal time to plant these cuttings in Karachi?

A. It would have been more helpful if you had mentioned the names of the plants or vines that you have received. Usually, keeping in view Karachi’s weather, the monsoon season and the days falling in between December to February, are best to plant and propagate such cuttings.

Q. Your article ‘Gardener’s Black Gold’, printed on July 9, 2023, was very informative. You have explained everything in detail, but I couldn’t understand where and for how many days, kitchen scraps should be stored to make this compost. Secondly, is it Okay to throw the daily kitchen scraps in the planting area where plants are already being planted or sown? Finally, is it Okay to make a compost from kitchen scraps (the green part) only — ie without the brown part of the compost. I am from Swat.

A. Thank you for your kind words. As mentioned in the article, one cannot give a definitive timeline for the completion of the compost process when using kitchen scraps. This is because different materials decompose at different rates. Similarly, quantities of individual ingredients and application of many other process fastening protocols may change the speed of the compost formation. Whether you continue to add new scraps during the process may also slow down the speed to final result. It can take between days to months.

You may throw kitchen scraps directly in your planting area. When not preparing any organic fertilisers or pesticides for my plants, it is my common practice to throw banana peels, egg shells or used tea leaves directly around the plants and trees. However, keep in mind that the absorption speed of the required mineral, in this case, would be quite slow. The scraps can take even weeks before starting to get absorbed by the soil and roots. My advice would be to crush whatever you are throwing into your plants very finely, making it easier for it to decompose quickly.

Finally, if you don’t want to add brown parts, then I suggest burying green parts in the ground for a better result. It will also help to eradicate the stench from the all-green pile.

Q. All my family members love eating lady finger curries for meals. How many plants should I grow to fulfill my family’s organic craving?

A. You should have mentioned the number of family members in your query. It is so refreshing that you are seeking a home-grown, organic alternative for your family. Five to seven plants of lady fingers or okra provide 250 grams of produce during the harvesting period. You may need to collect the harvest over a few days. We will soon be doing a complete article on how to sow and grow okra plants.

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, August 20th, 2023