There are five things a plant needs to survive: sunlight, appropriate temperature, moisture, air and nutrients. Some might also add “talking to them” as a sixth, but, ultimately, that’s between you and your foliage.
Five relatively easy steps, and yet one of the most common complaints about house plants is how quickly they seem to decline compared to their hardier outdoor cousins.
Contrary to this familiar gripe, green-fingered experts suggest indoor plants are actually easier to care for than outdoor plants.
“In my opinion, indoor plants are the easiest ones to care for precisely because they don't need much care,” says Jimmy James, founder of plantshop.me. “When compared to outdoor plants, indoor plants require less watering and fertilising. Most of the time, indoor plants expire because of overwatering and over attention.”
What defines a house plant?
"Most indoor plants originate from tropical and subtropical areas of the world, so in order for your plants to thrive, you need to replicate their home conditions as closely as possible," advises Munir Khan, division manager of plantscapes at Oleander Flowers.
Plants that require lower amounts of light, water and humidity are usually known as indoor species. Outdoor plants are also more inured to climate changes throughout the year and require more space. Indoor foliage won’t mature to their full size, with their growth dependent on the size of the container they’re potted in.
“In terms of watering, indoor plants need it only at regular intervals – once every three days or once a week. Some indoor plants need to be watered just once in 15 days,” says James. “Outdoor plants need to be watered daily, once per day in winter and twice a day during the summer season.”
"Humidity is hard to achieve in the home," adds Anita Chua, an enthusiastic amateur gardener in Dubai who shares her experiences of caring for over 200 house plants on her Instagram @urbanjunglehuset. "However, you can use simple methods such as grouping your plants together, misting them or placing a jug or bowl of water next to the windowsill."
Mastering the art of watering
"The number one cause of indoor plant death is overwatering," says Khan, "either by not knowing the moisture requirements of the plant or by not checking before watering."
There are certain things you can look for when it comes to watering. If you are overwatering your plants, the tips of the leaves turn brown and you’ll also get yellowing leaves which fall off quickly. The base of the plant stem might feel soft and pulpy to the touch. On the other hand, underwatering results in leaves that become crispy and brown at the edges and start to curl. You might also notice the lower leaves look more unhealthy than the top ones.
Drainage is paramount for indoor plants. Invest in pots with holes in the bottom for excess water to be carried away and consider adding a few rocks to the bottom to aid with this. However, if you have overwatered your plant, you will need to repot it, cutting away any roots that have rotted.
"Repotting plant in fancy pots without drainage holes will slowly kill them," says Chua.
Creating the ideal environment
"All indoor plants need a temperature range of 16°C to 25°C. The need for light differs from plant to plant," says James. "The rule of thumb to figure out the amount and intensity of light a plant needs is by the leaf size; the bigger the leaf size, the more light required for photosynthesis.
"Flowering plants have to be kept away from direct sunlight and in a place where the air from the air-conditioning unit isn't hitting the plant. It is advisable to either rotate the plant or change positions once in a while to let light reach all the leaves.”
I find plants are really fascinating, intriguing and captivating creatures. They all have different personalities and I treat each one of them differently
Another factor to consider is the amount of time you can dedicate to your indoor plants. Those with busy schedules might want to consider hands-off house plants, such as succulents and cacti, while those who can spare more time to care for their leafy friends could try an orchid or fern.
In return for creating the ideal environment for your indoor plants, they can reciprocate by not only providing benefits to your mental health, but also by improving air quality in the home.
The easiest plants to keep alive
“Succulents are those plants that you can buy and forget about for the next 15 days before having to water,” says James. “They only have to fertilise once every two months and you’ll never have to change the pot."
Some succulents to consider include aloe vera, cacti and varieties of echeveria, crassula and haworthia.
Those looking to develop their expertise beyond surviving and into thriving can up their green-fingered game by seeking out plants that require a little more attention and care. Jones recommends choosing a tall indoor plant between 80 and 100 centimetres, grown plants that will only need watering once a week and won’t be so sensitive to temperature variations. Some popular options include fiddle leaf fig, ficus Benjamina, dracaena, anthurium, money plant and the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia).
"Snake plant and Zanzibar gems are both fuss-free plants to have in your home and they can also survive in darker corners compared to other easier plants, such as rubber plants which need brighter light," says Chua. "If you prefer a tropical feel, monstera and palms are great options. However, they would require a bright location preferably a few feet away from the balcony door or window."
Khan says his pick of easy plants to care for: "Spider plants are often grown in hanging baskets and will reach 2.5 feet wide and up to three feet long. They need bright light but no direct sun, so they're perfect to put in a room with big windows. This plant is fun to have around because it grows 'baby spiders' (spiderettes), which can be easily propagated. It's also a strong air purifier."
Health benefits of indoor plants
"Keeping indoor plants helps me slow down," says Chua, of how they bring balance to her life. "It's nice to be on the lookout for new growth and leaves, and some of the philodendron plants can take months to unfurl. There's also a sense of contentment knowing that the plant is happy and that you are caring for them correctly."
Keeping house plants stretches back beyond the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, as well as ancient Asia where the Japanese art of bonsai originated from the even older Chinese practice of penjing, which translates as “tray planting”. In Europe, the Victorian age ushered in a growth in keeping house plants and, with it, an explosion in books and guides about caring for them.
In more modern times, a 2015 study in The Journal of Anthropology found that "active interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress compared with mental work" and "promotion of comfortable, soothed and natural feelings".
"I find plants really fascinating, intriguing and captivating creatures," adds Chua. "They all have different personalities and I treat each of them differently through lots of trial and error. I also tend to name some of the larger plants we have. Plants are definitely an easy way to style up your home as they instantly liven up the space and are therapeutic to care for. To me, they are my stress-busters after a day’s work, and watching them thrive gives us a sense of joy and achievement."
"The colour green is associated with nature, calming us and giving us a feeling of ease and well-being," says James of the mental health benefits of keeping plants in the house. "Because of its strong associations with nature, green represents tranquillity, good luck and health. In my personal experience, green can also improve the reading experience."
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
Scorecard:
England 458 & 119/1 (51.0 ov)
South Africa 361
England lead by 216 runs with 9 wickets remaining
The results of the first round are as follows:
Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent
Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent
Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent
Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent
Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent
Company%20profile
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Company%C2%A0profile
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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Cashew%0D%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202020%0D%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Ibtissam%20Ouassif%20and%20Ammar%20Afif%0D%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%0D%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%2410m%0D%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Mashreq%2C%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.
There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.
More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.
The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.
FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
