Down to earth: dr satish narula

Strawberry is a fruit plant that is grown by the home gardeners as luxury. Although it is not that sweet to suit the Punjabi palate,it is used by some in ice-cream or for garnishing. The plant is very easy to grow and is ornamental too. Those who had it the last season must watch for the plantlets. These small extensions of branches are in fact the future plants. They normally hang out of the pot. Provide soil at the base and they will immediately grow roots. For this you can draw them towards a pot filled with soil-sand-manure mixture and put the plantlet on it. After a few days it will strike roots and become independent. Strawberry is not only edible but has ornamental value too. It grows without any fuss even in pots. There is no special requirement except for one that at the time of fruiting,the fruit needs to be lifted above soil or else it gets spoiled due to direct contact with water. Try this in your pots this year.

Can I plant gaillardia now? What should be the size of fish tail palm that I can plant in a pot.
Sukhbir,Chandigarh
It is late for gaillardia. The size of the palm depends upon where you want to display it. Normally,it should be four to five feet tall for effect.

Some of my pots have no drainage of rain water. What should I do to correct them?
Sameer,Panchkula
Donot try to correct the drainage in case of pots. It will not work. Do repotting.

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There is stagnation of water in my garden and there is no exit point. The water however stands almost in the middle of kitchen garden. What should I do?
Kiran,Chandigarh
Stagnation cannot be allowed. If there is no exit and the water is standing only in the middle of kitchen garden,then give a direction to water by digging even a thin channel towards the lower end and make a deep pit there. The water will drain out.

Is it the right time to multiply bougainvillea and chrysanthemums? Can I use the cutting method in both these cases?
Suchitra,Mohali
Yes,you are right

For gardening queries,ASK DR GREEN at satishnarula@pau.edu