Root Awakening: Grow Indian borage in well-draining soil

Indian borage should be grown in a sunny site with well-draining soil

I managed to save this plant by pruning the rotting roots and transplanting it into a pot of water for propagation. Its roots are growing. Can you advise on the type of soil suitable to support the plant’s healthy long-term growth?

Genevieve Lam

The cutting is taken from the Indian Borage (Plectranthus amboinicus). This plant is commonly grown for culinary and medicinal uses.

After some roots have formed, you can plant it in a pot of well-draining soil and place in a location that gets at least four hours of direct sunlight daily. It should not be grown in a soggy or deeply shaded site.

Declining mango branches are probably due to poor pruning techniques

The leaves on my healthy mango tree suddenly dried up. It happened to the branches on the left side of the tree. What is the cause of this?

Seng Huat Seah

It looks like your mango tree was not pruned properly in the past.

The resulting new growth will have poor attachment points to the original plant, and they will snap easily with added weight. The pruning cuts made earlier tend to leave large wounds and will not heal properly. This kind of cuts will render such areas prone to disease and rot.

Also, check if the tree is growing in waterlogged soil or if its roots had been disturbed recently.

These are some possible reasons your mango tree has declining branches. Due to the poor form of the tree, you may want to consider removing it.

Check moisture levels and frequency of fertiliser application

Do you have any advice on the condition of and the treatment for my Thaumatophyllum plant? 

Keith Tan

The yellow leaves of your plant could indicate an issue with its root zone. Is the growing media retaining too much moisture or too compacted? This can cause roots to suffocate and be unable to take up nutrients. You may want to amend the growing media to make it more well-draining, so it can dry out between each watering and its roots can breathe.

Have you been fertilising your plants? The yellowing of older leaves could be due to the lack of nutrients such as nitrogen. You can feed your plant using liquid fertilisers high in nitrogen, which can be purchased at local nurseries. Do ensure the root zone is conducive for growth.

Tree is a tropical fruit tree called the Rose Apple

I have grown this apple tree from a tiny plant to this big. However, I don’t see it flowering. Is anything amiss?

Annie Goh

From the look of the leaves, it appears your tree is the Rose Apple (Syzygium jambos). It is a relative of the common Jambu Air. The tree may need to grow larger before it starts to fruit.

It is not a good idea to grow trees near your property’s boundary wall as there is not much space for the tree to develop healthily. Its roots may eventually damage your wall structure too.

As the tree is growing at an angle away from the wall, you may want to prune and lighten its crown. Also, give the tree a stake to prevent it from toppling.