The last Root Awakening column for the month of January was published today. Answers to four gardening questions were given.
The first question was about growing the bougainvillea. From the bougainvillea expert Eric Simon’s talk, we know that we should refrain from growing these flowering shrubs in the ground. It is better to grow them in large pots. Feeding with the right fertiliser for flowering is also essential and to keep the plant well prune to discourage the growth of long, leggy ‘water shoots’. A hot and dry spell tends to trigger the profuse flowering of these plants.
The culinary/cooking ginger we have can be grown from the rhizomes bought from the market. Unlike sprouting potatoes that are poisonous, sprouting ginger rhizomes can still be used for cooking. However, trying to grow the ginger plant in high-rise conditions can be difficult as plants tend to get attacked by various pests and does not like the windy and dry air conditions.
In the high-rise apartment, it is important to take note the amount of water that is to be given to a plant. It is not logical to give a list of fixed rules for all to follow as environmental conditions tend to vary from home to home. For watering, the best guide is to stick one’s finger into the soil to feel for moisture. If it is still moist, hold back watering. Dracaena fragrans, a popular houseplant, can succumb to overly wet conditions where the leafy shoots turn black and rot.
Light is perhaps the most important factor for success of high-rise gardening. Plants need light to make food and grow. Hence, it is important to locate our houseplants just next to the window or in the balcony where they can receive filtered to direct sunshine for 4 to 6 hours daily. Some plants require more light than this and hence these are not suitable for growing in one’s home. The lack of light shows up via the following symptoms – loss of variegation in variegated plants and long, extended and spindly growth. It is normal for plants to reach out to light as light comes in one direction in the home environment. However, it is vital to turn plants around so that their growth form remains symmetrical.
