Down to earth: dr satish narula

It is not difficult to make gardens but it is not easy to mend and beautify the troubled spots. There are certain places in the garden where there may be a problem of growing grass due to shade or low lawn level.

It is not difficult to make gardens but it is not easy to mend and beautify the troubled spots. There are certain places in the garden where there may be a problem of growing grass due to shade or low lawn level. It is better to devote this piece of land to feature development (see the accompanying picture) The feature has been made using stones pebbles and certain plants like Asparagus (Mayeri),Euphorbia,Dracaena and certain Agave species plants. All are very hardy in nature and also need minimum maintenance. Their watering requirement is also very limited. Their colour is an added bonus.

Now when the weather is cool and it is raining,can I do plant kinnow and litchi?
Saroj,Chandigarh
It is too early to start planting. The rain is unusual and you may face another bout of summer heat. Wait till the middle of July to be safe.

Is it the right time to do grassing? How much manure should I add in my lawn which is 10X20 feet?
Rakesh Saini,Chandigarh
Wait for another fortnight and plant the grass with onset of rains. Do not add manure or else you will have tremendous problem of weeds in your lawn.

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I have planted cuttings of Euphorbia in poly-bags. How will I know the plantation is going to be successful? At what stage can I remove it to check whether it has struck roots or not?
Manisha,Panchkula
If your cutting is green and not rotting,it is progressing to form a plant. At no stage should you try to disturb the cutting of Euphorbia to see the roots. The emergence of new leaves would be a sign that your plant is forming roots.

When are the roses pruned– before rains or afterwards? I had planted a few plants in last year. Will they bloom this year?
Parneet,Mohali
The roses are pruned after the rains are over,that is in October. Yes,be ready to enjoy the rose blooms this year.

You can mail Dr Green your gardening queries at satishnarula@yahoo.co.in

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