Q. I tried to grow the champa [frangipani] plant earlier. It was quite beautiful and bloomed. But, of late, it has no leaves left, although I water it regularly and provide fertiliser too. But still, there is no progress, maybe due to an attack by some mealy bugs. Can I still save my plant? A. It would have been better if you had mentioned your city as well. It not only gives an idea of the temperature and climate the plant is being exposed to, but also provides a fair idea of the duration of sunlight the plant is likely to receive. Plumeria plant or the frangipani, commonly and locally known as champa, provides beautiful, light-shaded and sweetscented flowers. The plant, which can be grown into a small tree, is a common sight in houses, especially in Karachi.

As mentioned in your query, I will assume that you are following the proper watering schedule and providing the plant with the required fertilisers, as per the plant life cycle needs. In case of a light attack of mealy bugs, you can easily remove them manually. Simply pick and discard the mealy bugs from the plant. Otherwise, you may continually spray the plant after every few days witha pesticide, preferably organic, till the mealy bugs leave your plant for good.

Also, this plant prefers well-drained soil.

If the pot is water-logged, then you should re-pot it in a bigger pot, with a well-drained potting mix. If you are unable to shift it into the ground, then you may use a container with a depth of at least 18 to 24 inches. This is because the roots of these plants love to spread within the ground. It is, therefore, essential for the plant to have enough underground spaceforitsrootstogroweasily.

Finally, the ideal temperature for this plant to thrive remains within the range of 20 to 30 degrees Celsius and it should be exposed to at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight. New leaves, hopefully, can start growing again, provided the plant and roots are healthy. Sometimes, however, it may take longer than anticipated. Patience remains the key here! Q. I have problems with my tomato plant. There are some green and brown insects that make holes in the tomatoes.They go inside and inhabit the tomato fruit. What is the best insect killer spray that you would recommend for this issue? A. The brown and green pests that you are suggesting in your query are seemingly the moths known as the tomato fruit borer. They are one of the most common pests that bore their way into the tomato fruit crop. Since it is an edible crop, my preference is always to spray the plant with an organic neem oil pesticide.However, if the infestation is severe, you may use any of the commercially available chemical-based pesticides, such as chlorantraniliprole or spinosad. It is critical that you follow and adhere to the guidelines provided for such chemicalbased pesticides.

Q. I came across these flowers at my sister`s educational institution, which I found very attractive. I wonder if these are hollyhocks, which were discussed in the column the previous week. If so, I may request their gardener for its seedlings or seeds next season.

A. The cup-shaped flowers of this unique cut-flower plant are a giveaway that these are indeed hollyhocks. You can definitely contact the gardener, provided you are allowed to do so, for seedlings.

If you had mentioned the city in your query, it would have been easier for me to recommend what would be the best timeto shift and re-pot a seedling or sow new seeds. You may consult the gardener in this regard as well.

Q. Is it possible to grow rose plants in a hanging pot on the balcony railing of my apartment? A. It is impossible to grow rose plants in a hanging pot and that too on the railing.

The plant requires ample root space to grow. Hangings are generally four-to-six inches deep, while the pot size to address the root requirements for the rose plant is at least 12 inches in depth. You can grow other beautiful and attractive flower vines that may require less root space, such as purple heart and baby sun rose.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel `DocTree Gardening` promoting organic kitchen gardening