Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
As the sun blazes outside and temperatures soar, indoor plants feel the heat too. Summer brings its own set of challenges for houseplants, from scorching sunlight to dry air. Melissa Nazareth speaks to green-fingered enthusiasts, exploring some common seasonal plant parent peeves and tips to keep your foliage thriving.
l Water, water everywhere but…
The sun is stronger in this part of the world, which can make staying hydrated a challenge for both bough and beast.
“Plants dehydrate at a faster rate as the soil gets dry,” Indian expatriate and plant mum Soumi Sarkar, who started housing indoor plants during the Covid-19 pandemic, told GulfWeekly.
“Some tried and tested tips that have helped me are bottom watering in a tub or bucket, with pebbles for plants that soak up water faster as they create a barrier. The inverse bottle method based on drip irrigation technique has also worked for me,” added the 37-year-old artist from Tubli.
Bottom watering is a technique in which plant pots are semi-submerged until the top is wet to the touch, helping even distribution of moisture.
l Without ‘mulch’ ado
While used more for outdoor plants, mulching can help indoor foliage too by reducing evaporation and retaining moisture in the soil. Gravel, sand, or rubber mulch are suitable for house greens as outdoor mulch can be too heavy.
“Organic mulch retains soil moisture and regulates temperature,” said Bahrain-born-and-raised Sultan Quresh aka ‘Bahrain Plant Guy’, who has a garden and a collection of indoor plants.
The data science and artificial intelligence enthusiast’s passion for gardening blossomed during the pandemic.
“It’s a time when many of us turned inward for comfort and creativity. I still recall getting my first pothos, and from there, my indoor plant collection grew rapidly,” he said.
l Soiled for choice
According to Sultan, it is essential to select plants that thrive in warmth, given Bahrain’s climate.
“Snake plant, aloe vera, and jasmine sambac perform well when temperatures are warm but not extreme,” said the plant lover, who has travelled across Europe and Asia, exploring diverse plant cultures and regional climates.
“These experiences have broadened my understanding and you’ll often find exotic indoor plants in my collection – species that wouldn’t typically survive Bahrain’s outdoor climate, but thrive under careful indoor conditions.”
Meanwhile, Soumi recommended snake plant, rubber plant and ZZ, as well as dracaena varieties and money plants. “Unlike, say, spider plants and jade, these are more resilient,” she noted.
l United we stand
Grouping plants, as observed by plant parents worldwide, has many advantages.
“The cluster method works all the time. Keeping all the plants together so each of them benefits from the humidity created in one place has helped me,” Soumi revealed.
Meanwhile, Sultan has reaped the benefits of partial shading through taller companion plants, which he observed reduced heat stress for more delicate varieties.
Different plants have different needs, and the tips listed in this feature might need to be customised to suit individual requirements.
