Category Archives: Root Awakening in ST Life!

This is the the last instalment of the Root Awakening column for the month of June 2011. Answers to two questions were provided.

The first question was about why the leaves of a frangipani showed signs of drying up. This could be a sign of a mealy bug infestation. One may want to check the undersides of the leaves for an infestation of mealy bugs which suck sap from leaf tissues. They appear as white cottony masses that congregate along the mid-rib and veins of leaves. Leaves that have been attacked often become warped and deformed and they finally dry up and fall off. Control the population of such sucking pests by spraying the underside of leaves with white summer oil (organic) or any other pesticide that is indicated for treatment of mealy bug infestations. You may want to remove and discard badly infested leaves before spraying to reduce the amount of pests to be dealt with.

Another point to add is to check for infection by the rust fungus. Severely infected leaves will eventually dry up and fall off. One should make an effort to remove all infected leaves as the spores from infected leaves will go into the soil and infect other frangipani plants.

The second question was about curling and yellowing of the leaves, as well as, deformation of flowers seen in the hibiscus plant. The symptoms described may be indicating that the plant is lacking in certain mineral nutrients. To correct the problem, one may want to feed plants with a water-soluble fertiliser that contains chelated elements. Look at the ingredient list on the fertiliser’s label. The correction of a severe deficiency may take many months. The symptoms of any minor element deficiency show up on the new growth with the new and younger leaves being affected. When the deficiency is corrected, the new growth will be normal in appearance.

Note that even with a good feeding programme, nutrient deficiencies can still occur due to changes in soil acidity, organic content and drainage. As Singapore’s soil is often clayey and compacted, it is beneficial to improve the quality of soil by the addition of organic material such as good quality compost. Compost is valued for its soil conditioning value. Incorporate compost into the top few inches of soil to improve its properties.

One more point to add is to check also for mealy bug infestations in the leaves. Infestations by sucking insects will also cause leaves to become deformed.

Here’s the Root Awakening column for the second week of Jun 2011 and answers to two gardening questions were given.

The first question was about the ability to grow plants in a lift landing in a HDB apartment block. Unfortunately, there are not many plants that will thrive under the dimly lit conditions commonly encountered. Note that the ceiling fluorescent lights that are turned on at night in HDB corridors are usually not intense enough to support plant growth.

Many plants will deteriorate after some time after being located in such a condition. If it is possible, do a rotation between groups of plants to be displayed in your lift landing. After being displayed for a week or two in the dim lift landing, you can shift them to a brighter place to recuperate. Note that many sun-loving plants will quickly deteriorate when they are placed in the shade, even for short durations.

To grow a plant successfully in a given location would depend on its light requirements. Its leaves need to be exposed to the light rays of either filtered sunlight or direct sunlight for at least for 4 hours daily, as a general rule of thumb. For most apartment dwellers this would involve putting the plants just next to the parapet and raised from the floor so that they can be exposed to sunlight that streams through into the growing area.

The second question was about the existence of anti-mosquito plants. My answer is no. There is no plant that will repel mosquitoes on its own. The range of plants that are reported to possess mosquito-repelling properties do so only after the leaves have been picked and crushed to release the essential oils.

Here’s the Root Awakening column for this week where two gardening questions were given answers.

The first question dealth with the identities of two commonly encountered shrubs which are great hedge plants. One of them is Syzygium campanulatum and there are two cultivars available currently. One has orangey new leaves whilst another has maroon new leaves. Both the orange and maroon cultivars have become quite popular shrubs for landscaping in Sinagpore. They are best grown in a sunny, well draining spot to ensure the leaves put forth their vibrant colour. Some people prune the shrub regularly to promote new colourful foliage growth.

Another hedge plant identified was Baphia nitida. It is an ‘old school’ plant that has been around for quite some time and is fondly remembered for its use to screen away rubbish points in public housing estates in the past. It is a highly versatile shrub as it also thrives in shady areas.

Both shrubs are easy to grow and relatively fuss-free. But Syzygium campanulatum may occasionally get attacked by caterpillars or beetles.

The second question was about the effect of putting ice cubes on the root zone of a bamboo plant with the hope that the leaves will be greener. As far as I am aware, there is no scientific evidence to support such a claim. Excessive chilling of roots can do more harm than good. Yellowing bamboo leaves can be brought about by a variety of reasons, such as by the lack of certain nutrients, and it is best to find out the root cause and remedy it.

The Root Awakening column for the second week of December 2010 provided answers to two gardening questions. The first question queried on how to go about to start the gardening hobby and be successful in it. My advice given was to first learn more about the plants that one is interested in growing. One should start off by getting their names right and get to know about each plants’ growth requirements. A good reference to look to is the NParks’ publication entitled ‘’1001 Garden Plants of Singapore’. It is a pictorial guide which makes reference by anyone very easy.

To better grow one’s plants, it is best to follow this guideline – grow the right plant in the right location. Understand the conditions in your growing area at home and choose to grow plants that are suited for that area. One should check out and take part in the gardening talks and workshops conducted by HortPark and Singapore Botanic Gardens as these are organised with budding gardeners in mind.

The second question touched on why young fruits of the custard apple tree failed to develop fully. Most would turn black and become aborted. From what I have researched, the custard apple tree is well known to be a plant that prefers a sunny, well-draining location. The symptoms the enquirer has described seem to point to overwatering or a plant that is grown in a waterlogged location. It is advisable to the plant to grow in a location with better draining soil and allow plant to dry out a little between each watering, especially in Singapore where we are located in an area with high rainfall.

Answers to two gardening questions were provided in this weekend’s edition of the Root Awakening column. The questions pertained to problems faced in growing chillis and the bauhina vine.

The problem mentioned in the first question is a common one. Often, the first flushes of flowers in the chilli plant often fall without bearing any fruit. Chilli plants usually has little problem in setting fruits in the lowland tropics. Hence this problem should resolve itself in subsequent flushes of blooms. Otherwise, it may be a case of poor pollination. One can perform hand pollination by using a small paintbrush to brush each flower to help transfer pollen. Other causes could be due to dry air caused by windy conditions.

The second question was about the new growth in Bauhinia kockiana not growing well and tips of older leaves turning black. The enquirer mentioned about once fortnightly feeding. With the information given, the black leaf tips may be a sign that the plant is over-fertilised and hence it is recommended to follow the instructions printed on the label of the fertiliser. In general,  Bauhinia kockiana is a plant that will grow better if it is grown in the ground and it is vital to keep the roots cool by mulching it with compost. Avoid trimming new growth as this is where flower buds will be formed.