Down To Earth

What you see in this picture is the flowering body of the fish tail palm. When it becomes ripe,the flowers shed.

What you see in this picture is the flowering body of the fish tail palm. When it becomes ripe,the flowers shed. All the flowers open on one day and then fall down as if it is raining,which is a beautiful sight. In palms,almost every part of the plant is ornamental. Various kinds of palms have different type of leaves,which look good. While one variety has red leaves,another has natural threads in the margin,as if drawn manually. In some palms the bole is very smooth,with curvaceous structures,and a species also has a triangular base.

I planted grapefruit in my garden three years back. This year it is in bearing. When will it be ready to pluck? Why is it called grapefruit,when it is a citrus fruit?

 Monika,Panchkula

The grapefruit is ready to be plucked. It is called grapefruit because the fruit is borne in bunches (like grapes). Your information about it being a citrus fruit is correct.

A branch of mulberry tree is obstructing my bed of winter annuals. Can I clip it and if so,when?

Surjit Kaur,Chandigarh

You have not mentioned what winter annual do you have in your bed. If it is salvia or cineraria,then it will not be affected by shade. Or else you can trim the branch of the mulberry now,so it becomes dormant. Usually we recommend pruning mulberry in December-January.

What is the time when Raat Ki Rani bears fragrance? Does the plant have fragrance or is it the flowers? At what age does the bush bear flowers?

Manjit Singh,Chandigarh

Raat Ki Rani should be bearing flowers now. The flowers have fragrance,not the plant. The bush starts bearing flowers in the same year that it is planted.

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What should be the age of the peach plant that one should plant in the kitchen garden?

Satnam Singh,Chandigarh

The plant that you get in the nursery is not more than a year old. The plant bears its first crop in the third year.

For gardening queries ASK DR GREEN at satishnarula@yahoo.co.in

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