Root Awakening: Succulent needs more water

Plant is likely an Echeveria

What is this succulent? Baby plants also appear to be in the nursery pot. How do I care for these? Should I give them their own container?

Gloria Yeo 

Your plant is likely an Echeveria or a relative from the Crassulaceae family.

In general, these succulents need exposure to direct sunlight for at least six hours daily to stay compact. A lack of sufficient light will cause the plant to stretch and lose its attractive rosette growth habit. Do not grow them in deep shade.

Some species and cultivars also need cooler conditions to thrive and develop vibrant foliage colours.

You can grow the plant in a well-draining mix consisting of coarse materials like pumice and expanded clay. Watering once a week or so should be sufficient; water again when the root zone has dried out slightly. Your plant’s leaves appear wrinkled, which could be due to a lack of water.

The baby plants can be potted when they have grown slightly larger and are easier to handle.

Check papaya’s growing conditions

This papaya tree has very small fruit that do not seem to ripen. Are the fruit edible?

Kon Mei Leen

If you grew this plant from seeds taken from a store-bought papaya, note that the plant is not likely to breed true. Its characteristics may be dissimilar to those of the parent plant. However, the fruit should be edible.

Fruit development is a resource-intensive process for a plant, so it is essential to have soil conditions that are conducive for growth, as well as nutrients in the form of fertiliser.

If you are growing your plant by the road outside your property, note that there is limited soil volume for good root development. The soil there could also be compacted due to high foot traffic, high clay content and a lack of organic matter. Such conditions are not conducive for plant growth.

Improve soil conditions to help your plant grow, which in turn will lead to better fruit production.

Lime may require hand pollination

My Thai lime plant used to bear fruit often. It was in the shade, but is now being grown in full sun. It has been flowering, but not fruiting for the past few months. What is wrong?

Also, my fig plant’s fruit have been tasteless in recent harvests. Why is this happening?

Patricia Lim

The lack of fruit production in your lime plant could be due to a lack of pollinators in your garden, possibly due to the rainy season or, if applicable, the use of broad-spectrum pesticides. Rain tends to result in lower pollination activity.

You can grow pollinator-attracting plants to bring beneficial pollinators back to your garden, or use a small paintbrush to manually transfer pollen between flowers. Also, ensure your plant is well hydrated and not under- or over-watered, as plants will abort fruit when stressed.

Figs can be lacking in flavour if they are picked too early. You may want to wait for the fruit to reach the characteristics expected of the cultivar that you are growing.

Manage your watering frequency and reduce exposure to rain, as excessive moisture levels in the roots can affect the fruit’s flavour. 

Plant may be over-watered

My plant has been flourishing for the last few years indoors with indirect light. I water it only once or twice a week. Over the past month, it has started drooping, with yellow leaves. What is wrong?

Michele Choo

Your Baby Rubberplant (Peperomia obtusifolia) may be shedding due to over-watering. This plant does not tolerate constant wet feet. Ensure the root zone dries out slightly before watering. 

Also, make sure the plant has four to six hours of filtered sunlight a day, and let the root zone dry out between watering sessions. A well-draining soil mix will be beneficial.

Plant may be Indonesian bay leaf

This plant shed its leaves in the cool weather at the end of 2023 and suddenly bloomed in mid-March. The flowers lasted about a week and produced only one fruit. What is this plant and how should I care for it?

Kwan Kim Meng

Your plant appears to be the Indonesian bay leaf, also known as the Salam Tree (Syzygium polyanthum). It is a native tree of Singapore and its small fruit, which turn red when ripe, are eaten by birds. Seeds are then dispersed into the surrounding areas, where they will germinate and grow.

The leaves are used in cooking. You can grow the plant in a large pot where you can prune it to manage its size. Planting it in the ground will eventually lead to the growth of a large tree, so make sure you have the necessary space and resources if you choose to do so.