Keep Kalanchoe dry

How do I care for a Kalanchoe?

Celine Goh

This plant is the Florist Kalanchoe, a popular flowering plant that has been extensively bred to create numerous hybrids.

As a succulent, it needs a well-draining growing mix. In general, such plants are kept in a peat-based mix, which retains too much water and is slow to dry out. Change the growing mix to one more suited to Singapore’s climate.

Remove spent blooms and ensure the plant gets at least four hours of daily filtered sunlight, though it can adapt to more intense light. A lack of light will lead to soft, lanky growth.

The plant may flower, but not to the extent seen in nurseries, as that requires special skills and growing conditions.

Shiso leaves have distinctive fragrance

How do I differentiate between Coleus scutellarioides (common Coleus) and Perilla frutescens (Shiso)?

Paul Leong

The two plants look similar, but the Shiso has a distinctive, pleasant scent while the Coleus does not. To familiarise yourself with the Shiso’s scent, buy some from the supermarket and gently rub the leaves between your fingers to release the herb’s aromatic oils.

Shrubs ideal for narrow planter boxes

What can I plant in this area of my porch?

Arnold Loke

The following advice assumes the area in the picture gets full sun throughout the day.

First, incorporate good-quality compost to improve the soil structure before planting. Second, you may want to arrange the plants in simple blocks so they are easier to maintain.

For edible plants, consider the fragrant pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius), Cekur manis (Sauropus androgynus), Turmeric (Curcuma longa) or Thai Basil (Ocimum basilicum).

For ornamental plants, consider readily available ones such as Scarlet Spiral Flag (Costus woodsonii), Dwarf Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata var. fruticosa; it produces scented flowers), variegated Cerulean Flax-lily (Dianella ensifolia) and Ming Aralia (Polyscias fruticosa).

These plants are resilient, relatively easy to grow and generally pest-free. Avoid planting large trees, as your proposed garden is near a perimeter wall.

Climbing plant is a fig species

What is this plant?

Arthur Lim

This plant is the Climbing Fig (Ficus punctata). Its minute, seed-like “fruit” can be found within the orange structure, called a syconium. It can be extracted, dried and used to make a dessert jelly.

Check if Monstera roots are unhealthy

What is causing these greyish-brown patches at the tips of my Monstera? The patches seem different from the usual yellow or brown discolouration. Also, the leaves are limp. I keep the plant indoors with bright light.

Steve Goh

A plant that is limp despite regular watering may be suffering from root rot or an infection.

Your plant appears to be in a decorative pot without drainage holes, so check if water has accumulated inside. The growing mix may have been wet for too long, suffocating the roots and preventing them from taking up water.

If the roots have rotted, cut the plant off at the base and reroot the top part as a stem cutting. Remove any blackened parts of the leaves, which may be a bacterial or fungal infection brought about by wet feet, mechanical damage or excessive fertiliser salts in the root zone.

Alternatively, the patches may be due to a spider mite infestation, which can be cleared by spraying summer oil.