Syngonium is a favourite plant with landscapists due to its very hardy nature. It can grow at any given place, whether sunny, shady or semi-shady. The plant is not exacting in its soil requirements and can be grown in poor soils too. The plant is now available in many hues, white, white mixed with green, yellow, green and many intermingling hues. The plant also has varied sizes of leaves, ranging from a tiny half inch leaf to one foot long leaf. The plant can be trained on a tree trunk or even in the bottle of water like a money plant. You can use it in the dark corners of your house.
Question: the leaves of my peach plants are curling up. What could be the reason and how can I check it? Savita, chandigarh
The curling of leaves in peaches is due to the attack of aphids that suck the sap and leaves curl. Spray rogor, dissolved at one milliliter to a liter of water. Repear the spray after 10 days.
Question: can I plant summer vegetable seeds now? The beds of winter vegetables are not yet clear. What should I do? Satvinder Singh, Zirakpur
Yes, you can start sowing summer vegetable seeds but in poly-bags as the beds are not yet clear of the winter vegetables. As the various cucurbit vines will be ready to transplant by that time the beds will be clear of winter vegetables.
Question: I want to plant pear plants in my garden. Is this the right time? Where can I get good phalsa plant? Anil Kumar, Panchkula
Yes, you can go ahead for planting pear as these have not yet sprouted. You can prepare phalsa cuttings from a plant already growing in the garden of someone you know. You can also approach some nursery for this.
Question: I had sown bhindi a few days back. Some of the seeds are sprouting but most of these have not. What could be the reason and what should I do?
Rakesh, Panchkula
You have not mentioned how long back you sowed the crop. However, as the weather was cool the seeds may not have sprouted. Wait for some time more and if still there is no sprouting then you will have to do the sowing afresh.
For gardening queries, write to us at info@drgreen.co.in

See the accompanying picture. what do you see grass lawn or a stretch of land full of weeds? Yes, the grass in the lawn has disappeared as completely suppressed by weeds. What is being done here? Do you think by scrapping it you can get rid of these and the good grass will reappear? No it will never. Now the only remedy available with you is to completely remove it and dig the soil deep to remove roots too. This is the right time to lay a lawn afresh. Use the heat of the sun to kill weeds and insects. Prepare the soil by mixing fertilizers and do planting in the last week of May after the premonsoon showers.
Question: I have a rare kind of schefflera plant and want to multiply it. How can I do it and which is the best time to do that? Sukhdeep, Chandigarh
This is the right time when you can do it if you want to follow air layering method also called gooti method.
Question: the guava fruit had insects last year. Now when these are about ready, how can I get healthy insect free fruit? Manish Kumar, Chandigarh
The insect has not yet invaded the fruit as it comes when the skin starts loosening or the fruit starts ripening. If you can eat it a bit hard then it will be insect free. At this stage, however, you cannot do anything to check the menace.
Question: which is the best way of multiplying poinsettia? I have tried may hand on it but failed on earlier occasion. What could be the reason?
Ranjan, Mohali
You must be taking the terminal part of the stem to make cuttings. Take mature wood cuttings and you will be successful.
Question: my cleomes have since completed flowering there are small pea like pods. Are these seeds and can I preserve them? Sunita, Panchkula
Yes, these are the seed pods. You can remove them, dry and then store the seeds.

You must have grown many a vegetables in your kitchen garden. You may also have experimented with many new types. But have you ever thought of growing baby corn? Try it this summer. The growing of baby corn is the same as you do in case of normal corn. It is a hardy plant and grows very fast. You can grow it in succession in two to three beds. The cobs are used for eating fresh or making soup. Let there be some different from the routine. Moreover, growing something with high cost value in your own garden will give you satisfaction.
Question: when is the time to pluck chicku and what is the stage of plucking it?
Ram Prasad, Manimajra
The chicku are almost ready to pluck and the criteria to pluck it to see that it has attained proper size. It is almost in the last week of April.
Question: kinnow plant in my garden is in flowering. Do I need to do anything at this stage?
Ravi Kumar, Panchkula
Spray rogor and bavistin, dissolved at one ml and half gram to a liter of water respectively.
Question: the litchi is in flowering. Can I give water? Any future precations?
Raju, Kalka
Already there have been rains and you do not need it immediately. After about a week you can start giving water. Keep the soil moist. Do not remove any branch to expose the centre or base of the tree.
Question: My gladiolus has just finished giving flowers. What should I do next? Savita, Panchkula
Stop watering for some time. Extract bulbs, dry in shade and remove extra straw and leaves. Treat with bavistin for about an hour, dry it in shade and store at cool and dry place.

Only a few years back when we talked about a plant we had a definite picture cropped up in mind. For example, talking about Vinca rosea, the Sadabahar meant a white or deep pink flowering plant one of which was being recommended for consumption by diabetic besides being ornamental. But with love for horticulture growing more and more, there has been revolution in evolution of various kinds. Now go to a nursery and ask for a Sadabahar plant and you will have a choice to make with 22 different kinds. Similar is the case with many other species. So next when you go to visit a nursery, do not stick to the routine type and ask for something different to give a different look to your garden.
Question: one of my fish tail palm has dried as I forgot it outside in sun. can I save it somehow?
Rajbir, chandigarh
The palms are difficult to survive once they show decline. At the most you can keep it in shade and give water. There are, however, thin chances of its survival.
Question: I am preparing pits for planting fruit trees. Besides manure, can I add fertilizers and if so, how much? Navtej, Mohali
One should not add fertilizers in pits. In case where you are planting kinnow, you can add 200 gram of superphosphate per pit.
Question: I have one banana tree that has once borne fruit. Will it fruit again and if so when. What is the method of multiplication of banana?
D. R. Sharma, Mohali
The banana tree that bears fruit once does not do it again and is liable to die. There, however, appear suckers from ground that can be transplanted or allowed to grow at the same place to give fruit later.
Question: I have a nursery near my house. The nursery owner is also good man and seems to be genuine. Can I get mango plant from him? If so which variety?
Subhash, Chandigarh
Nature of nurseryman is no criteria to get fruit trees from him. It is the authenticity of source from where the plant has been obtained. The trees should be of known parentage. You can go in for Dusehri variety of mango that is known to be more regular bearer in this region.

What matters in the plants is the way these are kept and presented. The at times when we visit certain gardeners for the purpose of judging their exhibits what gives edge to one over the other is the presentation; even when the species of the plant is the same. See the accompanying picture. The cycas (Do not call it a palm as it is not even remotely related to that class) has been trimmed at the base to show the main trunk. It has enhanced its beauty and that is where the edge is. When it is planted in a pot, the plant soil is covered with marble chips to give contrast to the green plant.
Question: How often shoul I water my roses in pots? I am trying to plant roses but not with much success. What could be the reason?
Prerna, Mohali
Basically rose is not a pot plant and in fact it is difficult to rear them in pots with much success. However, keep a watch on watering the pots and try to give them maximum exposure to sun. Also keep an eye on the dying wood. Go on removing it as and when it appears.
Question: My tinda and karela plants are ready for transplanting. I had sown the seeds during early January and protected these against winter. Should I go ahead with transplanting?
Sukhdeep, Chandigarh
In fact the winter vegetables are at their prime at this time and are your beds available with you for transplanting. If so, go ahead or else you can wait for some more days. The Karela vine can be trained on some wire or other structure. If space available, go ahead.
Question: some of the leaves of my peaches are curling up. The fruit setting has already taken place. What should I do to check this? Is this due to some disease?
Ramesh, Chandigarh
The curling of leaves in peaches is due to the presence of aphids that suck sap and render the leaves curled up. The curling is not due to any disease in this region .Spray rogor, dissolved at one milliliter to a liter of water. Repeat the spray after a fortnight.
Question: Is there any fungicide that I can spray and get rid of diseases about which I donot even know? How long its effect remains?
Monica, Panchkula
You can go in for spraying bavistin, dissolved at one gram to a liter of water.

Litchi is one of the most suitable fruits of this region. This is the time when the flowering in litchi commences. At times the gardeners complain about the dropping of flowers and premature fruits in early stage. The bunches are sparse and the number of fruits per bunch is very small. It has been seen that spraying of bavistin, dissolved at one gram to a liter of water helps, though it is not in the recommendations. You can do so as there is no harm in it. Make sure that the spray is thorough. In case the tree has grown high you can do it from the roof top too or else the spraying man could use some structure to stand on. Take care that while spraying anything, the face should be cover and one should not stand against wind while doing so.
Question: My mango plants are about to flower as is visible from the emergence of twigs. What should I do to save the fruit and flowers turning black?
Dr G Kaushal, Chandigarh
Spray karathane and rogor, dissolved at one milliliter each to a liter of water. Repeat the spray at full flowering stage and then at pea-size-fruit stage.
Question: Question- I want to propagate Poinsettias single from cuttings in my garden. Please tell me the correct time/season to do so.
Lt col H S Gill, Mohali
You can multiply poinsettia in May-June when once these have shed (red) bracts. Fresh growth is hollow so do not take cuttings from here. Take old wood cuttings and plant these in pots. Give water. Maintain moisture but do not let the water stagnate. Water the cuttings twice in a week. Do not keep these in exposed condition and semi-shade is preffered. Keep an eye that the soil does not dry down.
Question: I have been told by a friend that statice can be dried for a year. How is it done and what is the time to do so?
Swatantar, Panchkula
This is the right time to do so. Cut the flowers with long twigs. Tie them at the base and hang upside down till they dry. You can keep these forever (till when they shed due to disturbance of any kind) with original colour intact.
Question: Can I transplant summer annuals now? The beds of winter annuals are almost half dead.
Rajni, Chandigarh
Yes you can transplant them now but the winter annuals are far from over till now as the weather was eratic this winter and the flowering started late. However, if you feel the beds are half dead or vacant, you can go ahead.

We apprised you with some of the fads and myths that fail a gardener. Gardening is one subject that is very easy and a gardener has to follow instincts and learning acumen to be successful.
The gardeners, the malis are mostly uneducated in gardening and follow whatever they have learnt from their elders. You have to employ them as you donot have any other option. However, use your common sense and do not follow their unethical practices. I have seen gardeners adding salt to soil in lemon trees. Why is it being done is neither known to the gardener nor the mali but they advise so. Nothing could be more damaging than this to the plant. Adding salt to soil increases its concentration and it could prove fatal.
Now when the monsoon has entered the extremities of our country, it’s a matter of a few days that it will reach our region. Malis normally make mounds around fruit trees to give these the ‘support’ against storms and also the ‘water coming directly in contact with main stem’. Such mounds are in no way a match to the storms and cause more damage than good. The loose soil conserves moisture that remains in continuous touch with the main stem causing rotting. Furthermore, the lose soil acts as a good breeding place for insects and disease spores.
There is another kind of severe damage caused to plants where the malis expose the roots ‘to give food, water and sun’. Another explanation given for this kind of practice is that this is done to remove netting (jalla) in the soil. This is normally done in case of roses and most of the fruit trees. This is very dangerous and drastically cuts short the plant life. This netting is nothing but the hair like feeder roots of the plant that you are definitely bound to damage while exposing roots as these are confined to upper soil layers. The roots do not need sunlight and are photonegative. So there is no need to expose them.
Besides drawing pleasure in growing fruit and vegetables in ones own garden, it is good from safety point of view as most of these are normally heavily laced with chemicals when they reach market from farmer fields. But if you also have to ripen your home garden produce with articifal means then it defeats the purpose. The impression is that the fruits like mango, chiku, papaya etc. have to be artificially ripened by the addition of calcium carbide. It is not so. You can ripen these simply by wrapping the fruit in paper and putting these in air tight cartons. These could be sealed by use of any tape. Putting an already ripened fruit of any kind in the carton will enhance the process of ripening. It does not take more than three to four days to ripen fruit by such organic method.

Watering fruit trees is very well defined. Normally the gardeners are in a fix on when and how much to water. The confusion is mostly about flowering and fruiting stage. They fear the premature flower and fruit drop in case of stress or over watering. The problem is aggravated in case where the floors are concretized all around the trees.
Fruit trees are mostly gardener friendly. The deep roots in most of the cases draw their quota from lower untapped horizons and, therefore, their requirement is not that desperate or heavy. The fruit trees also provide shade under which many of shade loving plants are kept to reduce their water requirement. Plants like ber are more considerate and shed leaves during summer months to go dormant. This is minimum water requirement period. However, there are crucial stages in case of fruit trees, when they need water and any denial could spell doom.
Normally the myth is do not give water when the fruit trees are about to come into flowering or during flowering. In this context, the gardeners unknowingly subject the trees to stress which is also detrimental. The fruit trees take at least three to four years to complete juvenile stage. By this time the roots are well established to tap sub-surface water. However, one must keep the soil moist when these are in flowering. The fruiting in case of most of the fruit trees like peach, plum, pear, kinnow, sweet orange, lemon, mango, litchi etc. commences during summer months. As the fruit starts growing so does the temperature. The watering requirement in case of almost all the fruit plants increases with everyday rising temperature. Understand the nature of the trees and you will know how much to water.
Watering in case of lemon is very crucial. Any excess or stress may lead to complete flower or fruit drop. After fruit set in lemon, the tree needs to be watered every third day. The watering, however, should be light and frequent rather than heavy watering with gaps. In that case there is rupturing of fruits with the onset of rains. One should also add manure to the plant so much that it shows in soil. This acts as mulch, a measure to stop evaporation and loss of water.
Litchi on the other hand a heavy drinker. It is more sensitive to watering needs. After the day the fruit is set, one could give water twice a week. In case it is not done, there is fruit splitting. There is more incidence of fruit cracking when the lower branches are pruned. Normally the hot air penetrates the trees from below and this also leads to splitting of the fruit. However, there could be genetic reason too as Dehradun cultivar of litchi is more prone to fruit splitting when compared with Calcuttia. (To be concluded)

By this time we start getting queries on how much water is to be given to which species as there is water shortage due to the onset of summer months. But all thanks to the weather conditions we are not being asked about this aspect as yet. However, we can not be complacent. We have to prepare you for the water management and at the same time liquid refreshment.
With the onset of summers, the administrations to come under water pressure and rightly so, put restrictions on the use of water for purposes like washing of vehicles and watering the lawns in the early hours. That is absolutely right as the first priority is provision for drinking water. The gardeners are however, equally attached with plants and cannot see the plant dying for want of water the requirement for which increases manifold during this season. Then what to do? Fix priorities.
There are different types of plants in the garden like the trees, shrubs, climbers, pot plants baskets and bonsai plants and the watering requirements are also different. You have to learn it by experience and hit and trial. We give you a priority list that will help you plan. We also give you the ways on how to minimize the watering requirements. By restricting the watering during the day time, the administrations are in fact helping the gardeners. The best time to water plants is either in the wee hours or in the evening, the latter being better timing.
Normally the myth that holds is that cacti need little water or bonsai are like other potted plants and could be watered with the other lot. No its not like that. In fact cacti too need plenty of water. Do not think they are desert plants and thus do not need much of it. But then it is about those cacti that live in desert but there you hardly get any specimen sample and it is battle for survival. Domestic cacti give their best when these are well guarded and watered. Though in this case the watering should be done by keeping these in shallow water jackets filled with water for some time. That will protect these from direct contact and also wet the medium from below till top. Watering cacti in the evening hours is better proposition when these are watered with pipe. The water absorption and conservation mechanism in cacti is active during evening hours.
The bonsai are the plants that need maximum understanding and watering during summer months. Any damage could spoil your efforts of years. These plants should be shifted to cooler spots in a garden. If it is not possible one could use green shade net to protect these plants from direct sun. There should also be a provision of overhead sprinklers. They might need watering more than once during peak summers. The base of the pots could be covered with moss grass that is available with nurseries.
(To be concluded)

Let the metrological predictions be any, we all know the monsoons are round the corner. And that is the time to plant trees and shrubs. In an effort to make this planet green, many an organizations also contribute through their might to do planting by involving people. Furthermore, there are those who start giving plants free of cost from various sources like petrol pump, hospitals, banks, clubs or institutions like department of forests and horticulture to count a few. It is good to do something for humanity but let us do it in a scientific way.
Do not think it is too hot and early for taking action. Those who do such volunteer service need to be active at this time. In fact, the preparations start a month prior to the active commencement of plantation. It has been seen that the plants planted in pre-dug and filled pit definitely do better than those planted at the spur of the moment, without planning. The place of planting has to be decided in advance. ‘Sudden’ planting may prove wrong at later stage and then it is too late to do corrections, especially in case of trees. It is also better if you know in advance what species are you getting or giving for plantation so that proper selection of the place is done, depending upon the potential spread of the tree in times to come.
There is a procedure to plant a tree or shrub. A pit of at least three feet depth and with a similar diameter is required for planting trees. For shrubs one could do with two to two and a half feet dimensions. The upper soil, say half of the pit depth is kept on one side and the lower soil is rejected. The upper soil is then mixed with equal quantity of well rotten farmyard manure and to this mixture is added about 30 gram of insecticide dust. The dust is also sprinkled in the pit before adding mixture of soil and manure. In case the soil is heavy type, add one part soil, one part sand and one part farmyard manure. The pit is filled with the mixture by pressing hard. The mixture is filled six inches above ground level and watered. This will settle the lose soil and may be, the level goes even below ground level. In that case, the mixture is added to maintain level.
Distributing plants and then helping in planting are done with missionary zeal. In this endevour, however, rather than doing service we do disservice unknowingly. This is especially so when we distribute fruit trees that are not specified and are obtained from some local source or even from neighboring states or hills. The fruit plants come into bearing after many years and if at that time they bear poorly, the poor quality fruits then the disappointment are more. The plant varieties obtained from hills may bear flowers but fruits due to more chilling requirement of such species. One more piece of advice, do not get and distribute deciduous plants like peach, plum, pear, grapes etc. at this time as these are planted only once in a year, in winters.

Let the metrological predictions be any, we all know the monsoons are round the corner. And that is the time to plant trees and shrubs. In an effort to make this planet green, many an organizations also contribute through their might to do planting by involving people. Furthermore, there are those who start giving plants free of cost from various sources like petrol pump, hospitals, banks, clubs or institutions like department of forests and horticulture to count a few. It is good to do something for humanity but let us do it in a scientific way.
Do not think it is too hot and early for taking action. Those who do such volunteer service need to be active at this time. In fact, the preparations start a month prior to the active commencement of plantation. It has been seen that the plants planted in pre-dug and filled pit definitely do better than those planted at the spur of the moment, without planning. The place of planting has to be decided in advance. ‘Sudden’ planting may prove wrong at later stage and then it is too late to do corrections, especially in case of trees. It is also better if you know in advance what species are you getting or giving for plantation so that proper selection of the place is done, depending upon the potential spread of the tree in times to come.
There is a procedure to plant a tree or shrub. A pit of at least three feet depth and with a similar diameter is required for planting trees. For shrubs one could do with two to two and a half feet dimensions. The upper soil, say half of the pit depth is kept on one side and the lower soil is rejected. The upper soil is then mixed with equal quantity of well rotten farmyard manure and to this mixture is added about 30 gram of insecticide dust. The dust is also sprinkled in the pit before adding mixture of soil and manure. In case the soil is heavy type, add one part soil, one part sand and one part farmyard manure. The pit is filled with the mixture by pressing hard. The mixture is filled six inches above ground level and watered. This will settle the lose soil and may be, the level goes even below ground level. In that case, the mixture is added to maintain level.
Distributing plants and then helping in planting are done with missionary zeal. In this endevour, however, rather than doing service we do disservice unknowingly. This is especially so when we distribute fruit trees that are not specified and are obtained from some local source or even from neighboring states or hills. The fruit plants come into bearing after many years and if at that time they bear poorly, the poor quality fruits then the disappointment are more. The plant varieties obtained from hills may bear flowers but fruits due to more chilling requirement of such species. One more piece of advice, do not get and distribute deciduous plants like peach, plum, pear, grapes etc. at this time as these are planted only once in a year, in winters.

Its my all time favourite litchi time. I am lured at the very sight of the fruit that is red with blush. But for God sake don’t make the blush the colour of blood seeing some of the reports in daily vernaculars where the death of a few children have been associated with litchi. Consider these news items as too premature and so far unfounded. Remember, a few months back flu had wrongly been associated with ‘New Delhi’. It immensely affected our tourism.
Litchi, rightly justifying its meaning as ‘gift for loyal life’ is a rich source of nutrients that suit to the body during summer months. It is a rich source of vitamin C and consumption of even 8 to 10 fruits meets your body’s that day‘s requirement. Vitamin C gives strength to the body against diseases. Besides, litchi is an excellent source of copper, phosphorus (strengthens brittle bones) and potassium that are good for heart(normalizes blood pressure and heart rate), and brain! Unlike many of the plant based fruit and foods, the litchi is cholesterol free and is low in saturated fat and sodium. Litchi fruit is known to have flavonoids and other anti cancer cell proliferation chemicals. These have impressive anti breast cancer properties. . Litchi has abundance of oligonol that is excellent anti oxidant and prevents anti influenza virus actions.
Encephalopathy is explained by medical science as a brain fever caused by various kinds of virus, bacteria, fungi, toxic chemicals, condition of liver, brain, anoxia (short oxygen supply) or even excessive consumption of alcohol. There are more than 25 types of encephalopathy caused by similar number of mosquito species. Had this been understood, the litchi would not been associated ‘exclusively’ with this condition. At least the reporting could have waited till the laboratory reports were received and implication confirmed. It’s like passing the verdict before trial. Knowingly or unknowingly this type of inserts has definitely damaged the prospects of flourishing industry of this bounty of nature, the litchi. A reference in literature is found to associate hypoglycemia in undernourished children but that is from a chemical extracted from the litchi seed. However, much needs to be done to pass the verdict on the fruit. Studies also suggest the involvement of bats that appear at the time of litchi harvesting to damage the fruit. But then it is also associated with mosquitoes that suck on bat blood, the carrier of many viral and bacterial diseases and in turn sting the children to cause encephalitis. Can we associate the disease with bats or paddy that is grown in water that supports mosquito life? Bats are known to damage guava and ber too. Litchi cannot be isolated on this count. Reports in press also claim that it is being intentionally done by vested interests. If so, I would advice those doing so to take a fill of litchi fruit as it is excellent source to cure heartburns and acidity, cleans stomach and improves appetite.
Do not fear this delicious, juicy, full of nutrition and glossy fleshed fruit. I take a fill of about half a kg fruit everyday besides a pick from the basket every now and then!

No doubt the rain has brought some relief but do not forget, its May and the following month is June, a hotter month ahead. The gardening management is most difficult during this period. Its nightmare for the gardeners and there are reasons for this.
The situation is due to certain constraints like extra ordinary heat, water availability and space. When it is monsoon season, the weather is so pleasant that one wants to go in for as much number of plants as one can afford to have. But at this time of the year, when the temperatures sore beyond 40 degree Celsius, one starts looking for shade where plants could be placed but the space constraint makes it difficult to give the much needed protection with the result that there is damage to the plants like leaf burning, tip dying, damage to the fruits and vegetables as watery skin, skin burning or splitting or even death of the plant.
When we talk about the damage to the pot plants it is very serious matter. Every leaf in potted plants is important. In case of some of the plants, even the basal leaves remain intact for years together. Therefore, any damage to such leaves kills the plant get up. Similarly, there are plants like Araucaria cooki in which case the central tip matters as that is the growing point of the plant for all the time to come. Any damage to the tip and the plant is finished for its value. The heat damage to the foliage is characterized by the fading as is visible in case of dieffenbachia or dracaena. There could also be white burning of leaves as is prominently visible in case of lemon.
One has to shift pots under the shade of trees, porch, verandah or any other structure. In case not much space is available, one has to create it by erecting shade structures. This could be achieved by covering with shade nets easily available in market. In verandah or other places, the pots should be grouped together as this improves the micro-climate providing better chances of survival. About water management of different kind of plants like those in pots, baskets, soil etc we have already discussed at length.
Damage control in case of such conditions is very important. In case there is tip burning or dying, it has to be controlled immediately. In case it is not done, the tip goes on drying downwards and it may finish stop only when the plant is killed. As soon as the drying of tips is noticed it should be cut with a little of healthy portion. It also shows that at that location the plant is unable to protect it. It should immediately be shifted to better location. One should not worry much about the leaf burning in lemon as it is self correcting when once monsoons arrive. Only, keep the soil moist. The damaged fruits and vegetables should be removed and destroyed.