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Straits Times

Root Awakening: Flowering plants grow best outdoors

It is difficult to grow flowering plants in high-rise gardens because they need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. PHOTOS: SOWMYA GOPI Plants may have root rot I have a hibiscus, petunia and dianthus. The hibiscus gets bright filtered light, and the other two get a few hours of direct sunlight on sunny days. The hibiscus has developed white patches and looks unhealthy. The leaves of the other two plants are yellowing. The plants are watered daily and have been fertilised recently. I also applied neem oil to the hibiscus. What is wrong? Sowmya Gopi It is difficult to grow your flowering plants in high-rise gardens because they need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Dianthus and Calibrachoa (the plant with petunia-like flowers) are often produced in moisture-retentive growing media that remain moist for a long time, if they are not grown in a sunny location. Wet feet can cause the plants to suffer from disease and root rot. You may be able to save your plants by taking healthy cuttings and propagating them. Your hibiscus does not seem to have pest issues , so you need not apply neem oil. Pomelo infested by mealy bugs These sap-sucking pests produce a sweet secretion that attracts ants. PHOTO: FONG KAH WAI I see hairy white patches and ants on the undersides of my pomelo leaves. Are the patches eggs? How can I remove them? Fong Kah Wai Your plant has likely been infested with mealy bugs. These sap-sucking pests produce a sweet secretion that attracts ants. Take your plant to the bathroom and wash off the pests. Spray summer oil to suffocate any remaining bugs. Complete coverage of the plant, and repeated applications, are needed to manage and reduce the pest population. Inspect the plant regularly and act promptly. Hibiscus needs more light The plant may be aborting flowers due to pest damage or a lack of light. PHOTO: DASGUPTA SUDHANSU RAJAN My hibiscus' buds are aborted before blooming. I rotate the plant through various locations so it can get direct sunlight for a few hours every day. What is wrong? Dasgupta Sudhansu Ranjan From the thin, stretched and soft new growth of your plant, it seems that your hibiscus is not getting enough light. It grows best as a shrub planted outdoors under full sun, a common scene in local parks and gardens. In high-rise apartments, it will need at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Water consistently and do not let the plant dry out, be it from wind or lack of water. This can stress the plant and cause it to abort its flowers. Check the fallen flowers for any sign of thrip damage, which will appear as white or grey streaks on the petals. These pests can cause flowers to abort prematurely. They can be difficult to control, but pesticides such as abamectin and spinosad can reduce their population. Brown patches on leaves could be due to injury The injuries are vulnerable to secondary infections by pathogens such as fungi. PHOTO: NANCY LEE There are brown spots on my Monstera and they seem to be growing in size. What is happening? My plant gets indirect light. Nancy Lee The patches seem to have been caused by a past injury, such as contact with hot surfaces, for instance, a window glass on a sunny day. The injuries make the plant vulnerable to secondary infections by pathogens such as fungi. You can prune the affected leaves, as they will not recover. You may want to move your plant to a brighter spot periodically for exposure to filtered sunlight for several hours. Do this slowly and carefully, as your plant has been grown in deep shade and its soft tissue is susceptible to sunburn. Over time, however, the increase in light levels will strengthen the leaf tissue and improve your plant's overhall health. Epiphyllum leaves eaten by snails Garden pests like snails and slugs are active at night during the wet season. PHOTO: JOHN LEE My Epiphyllum plant has white patches. What are they? How do I get rid of them? John Lee The white patches are a result of feeding by snails or slugs. These garden pests hide in the day and are active at night during the wet season. Check for small snails or slugs in the growing media of your plant and remove them promptly. Hang your plant in such a way that these pests cannot access it. Answers by Dr Wilson Wong, an NParks-certified practising horticulturist and parks manager. He is the founder of Green Culture Singapore and an adjunct assistant professor (Food Science & Technology) at the National University of Singapore. Have a gardening query? E-mail it with clear, high-resolution pictures of at least 1MB, if any, and your full name to stlife@ We reserve the right to edit and reject questions. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.