Down to earth: dr satish narula

What makes a difference in a garden is the presentation of a feature. Use of statues is not new but it may go unnoticed if not placed properly.

What makes a difference in a garden is the presentation of a feature. Use of statues is not new but it may go unnoticed if not placed properly. Use a statue with a theme (see the accompanying picture). The Buddha statue (only the face) is very well placed and has become the focal point. Placing a basket of chlorophytum at the top has further enhanced sanctity as the plantlets are being showered as flowers. To give more emphasis to the feature,you can add steps,cat-paw or even a miniature replica of a passage to the feature.

I am living in Mohali and interested in planting strawberry. Where can I have best plant from Mohali,Chandigarh or Panchkula and let me know whether it can be planted now?
Ranjit Singh,Mohali
Strawberry is planted in October. You can enquire about the plants from the Chandigarh Co-Operative Kitchen Gardening Society and their contact number is 0172-2702041. You can also enquire from Sector 21,Panchkula nursery of Directorate of Horticulture,Haryana. Or else tell some local nursery to arrange it for you.

I have one mango tree which has been yielding very good chausa mango. I could not get the tree sprayed this time so the yield is less. Also,the plant is always full of flowers that subsequently dry up and get infected with insects. The tree is also infected with black ants. Kindly advice which medicine I should spray and when?
N.S.Sapra ,on e-mail
You have several problems. Your trees have scales and malformed shoots. The presence of black ants is a sign of scales. The malformed shoots support the insects and disease spores. Spray methyl parathion,dissolved at one millilitre to a liter of water. Repeat after 15 days. Remove the malformed shoots and destroy them by burying.

I have a tulsi plant. I cant understand the reason why its leaves are becoming dry & black. Please suggest what to do?
Gagnish,on e-mail
I think your plant is in a pot and lying out in the open,probably in the balcony fully exposed to sun. This could cause burning and drying and stiffening of leaves. Now that the rains have started,the new leaves will come up and these will be healthy.

How much farmyard manure should be added to the pit dug for fruit plants?
Manisha,Panchkula
You have not mentioned the depth of the pit you have dug. Make the pit three feet deep with three feet diameter. Fill it with equal mixture of farmyard manure and soil.

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

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plants