New In Doha is happy to feature this guest post by a Doha-based Lifestyle photographer, plant lover and macrame artist @sallyargote.
Doha may be a desert home for most us, but that doesn’t mean there is a lack of greenery available to make our homes a little jungle oasis in the sandpit. In this post we address a few key questions related to keeping your indoor plants green, happy and growing strong.
Sally
Where can I buy plants?
There are numerous places in Qatar where you can buy plants. Some of my favourite places are;
Facebook Groups – this is probably the cheapest way to find pre-loved plants. Expats that are leaving Qatar usually sell their plants at lower prices in order to get rid of them as fast as possible. There are even Doha plant groups on Facebook where people trade plants, sell plants and share their plant stories and questions.
Facebook groups:
🌿Gardening Club Qatar
🌿Plants for Sale Qatar
Nurseries
Scattered across the country are numerous nurseries that sell plants, flowers, soil, pots, fertiliser and anything you’d really need for your green friends. My favourite one is Plaza Hollandi on Salwa Rd. They have the most modern collection of plants and they even let you negotiate price.
Nurseries in Qatar
(info from Gardening Club Qatar):
☘Leaves Nursery WLL
📌opposite Al Shagab St, Ar-Rayyan
7477 6740
https://g.co/kgs/Qbsq2r
Mr Gebaraam
☘Compost / Enriched Coconut Substrate for sale. 10 QR per Bag Only for a 50 L bag, minimum of 5 Bags for Delivery in Doha/ Al Wakra Area.
Whatsapp 66850666 for orders
Tel: +974 44672046
http://www.gardenqatar.com/
Other – Ikea, Ace and even supermarkets sell plants. However, the options are usually limited and a little more pricey.
Who delivers plants?
Plaza Hollandi is currently delivering plants.
Order Online at www.plazahollandi.com/webshop or call 33718320 or 70190630. Free delivery.
Tel: +974 44672046
They will deliver for free for orders above Qar 300
For home deliveries, message Leaves Nursery via WatsApp (+974 74776740) or on Instagram DM (@leavesnursry) and give them the names of the plants you want and they will send photos and prices.
Delivery price ranges from Qar 25 to Qar 50 depending on the distance with a mininum purchase of Qar 200.
Follow their Facebook page @LeavesNursey for latest products details and gardening tips.
🍀One can buy seeds, herbs and pots from most supermarkets like Carrefour and Monoprix
Which plants do you recommend for beginners?
The plant that gave me the confidence to continue experimenting with my green thumb is the Pothos. It doesn’t require much attention, light or water.
Pothos
The Peace Lily is also a great low maintenance plant that actually reminds you that it’s time to water them. The leaves droop like they are sad when it is watering time. This reminds me that all my plants need to be watered.
Peace Lily
How often should indoor plants be watered in Qatar?
It really depends and differs based on the type of plant you have. A good rule of thumb is to stick your finger in the soil. If it is dry then that means it’s time to water. If it’s still moist, then you can wait a little bit.
How much water do my indoor plants need?
The bigger the pot, usually the more water you will need. Remember, when watering your plants, it is important that you water the roots, this means watering the soil, not the leaves.
Also it is important to note that your plants need to be in pots with drainage. Without drainage holes, there is no way for the water to escape and instead the water sits at the bottom of the pot. This can cause root rot and consequently cause your plants to die.
Do my indoor plants need light?
Yes they do. How much depends on the type of plant you have. Some (like the pothos) can handle low light. However, be careful not to put your plant in direct light as the sun can burn the leaves.
Do I need to fertilise my indoor plants?
I don’t think this is integral to their survival. In fact, I hadn’t fertilised my plants until about 6 months ago. Since fertilising my plants I have noticed a significant increase in their growth. So basically, if you want your plants to grow faster, then yes fertiliser will help a lot.
The above mentioned tips are for indoor plants specifically. I personally don’t like to keep my plants outdoors in Qatar because my balcony is very windy, gets very dusty and then in the summer it gets very hot.
Thank you Sally for sharing your great tips with us! Check out Sally’s website www.sallymade.com
Do you have gardening tips in Qatar? We would love to hear about them
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