Outdoor Plants

The range of sizes, shapes, and colors of the heat-loving eggplant (Solanum melongena) tells the story of its enduring popularity. Native to India, where it grows wild, it has been cultivated in Southeast Asia for thousands of years.

Europe was introduced to the vegetable in the 8th century via the Moors, who brought it to Spain, Sicily, and southern France via North Africa. In the sunny, dry climate of the Mediterranean basin, eggplant found the warm growing conditions it prefers and soon found its way into the classic cuisines of the region.

Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. Hibiscus also adapt well to growing in containers.

Plant in spring, summer, or fall, spacing plants 3 to 6 feet apart. Dig a hole only as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. If your soil is in very poor condition, amend the soil you’ve removed from the hole with a small amount of compost. Otherwise don’t amend it at all. Carefully remove the plant from the container and set it in the hole. Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Let the water drain, then fill the remainder of hole with soil and water thoroughly.

Hibiscus require at least 1 inch of rain (or equivalent watering) each week. They like to be constantly moist, but not wet. Feed twice a month during the growing season and prune as necessary to control plant size and cut back errant branches. Cut branches back to just above a side shoot. Hibiscus are sensitive to cold and should be protected when temperatures dip into the 30s; container-grown plants should be brought indoors

Colorful, compact plants that grow to heights and widths of about 12 inches, ornamental chili peppers (Capsicum annuum), produce masses of small, upright peppers that start out green, eventually turning chartreuse, orange, and finally rich, bright red. A single plant often produces more than 50 chili peppers at a time. Although ornamental chili peppers are tropical plants most often grown indoors

This lovely plant is a compact evergreen shrub with oval, shiny, deep green leaves that can get up to 2 3/4 inches long, extending from interesting, gnarled branches. At maturity, this plant will be 8 to 12 feet tall and wide, creating a large, round shrub.

Clusters of small, fragrant flowers bloom in spring, followed by bright reddish-orange berries in summer. The flowers are very fragrant and smell like orange blossoms and flowering will occur year-round. The fruit is 1/2 to 1 inch long and red. It is prized by birds.

Tips

• The height of a Texas sage bush depends on its environment. It stays compact and short, up to about 5 feet tall, in arid conditions. Plants tend to grow more than 8 feet tall in gardens where they receive water that supplements rainfall.
• Compact Texas sage varieties are good for large containers. Shorter cultivars include “Compacta,” which has pink flowers.

Succession planting is the key to growing lettuce if you want a steady supply of lettuce for salads and sandwiches. From spring through fall, Thomas Jefferson planted a teaspoon of lettuce seeds every Monday at Monticello, so they’d have lettuce all summer long.

For home gardeners, planting a small patch where you have a gap in the garden every 2-3 weeks will give you a steady supply through the summer. Container gardeners or balcony farmers can start new salad trays or planters every few weeks.

There are many reasons why this is one of the most widely planted landscape trees and shrubs in the UAE. Fast-growing and tolerant of heat, drought and salt, it makes an excellent large landscape tree, or a screen or windbreak when planted as a hedge.

Often used as a pioneer species in soil stabilisation or reforestation projects, Damas has also proved effective in cleaning oil-contaminated soils and in absorbing heavy metals and minerals through its extensive, fibrous root system. Not only is Damas’s dense wood suitable for charcoal and young foliage for fodder, but it also has the appearance of a water-hungry exotic species. In fact, it is native to Somalia, East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and requires relatively little irrigation.

Light: Bright light to full sun. Firecracker plants require lots of light to bloom. Move it outdoors for the summer and set it in the sunniest spot you can provide.

Water: Water thoroughly, allowing the top of the soil to dry out between waterings. Mature plants are drought-tolerant, so it’s a good idea to keep them on the dry side.

verage room temperatures 65-75°F/18-24°C. If you move your plant outside for the warm months, don’t worry — it can take the heat. It’s hardy in USDA Zones 9b-11. It won’t tolerate freezing temperatures.

Therapeutic Uses

• The root contains steam-distillable oil, which has 90% Benzyl isothiocyanate, a compound responsible for decreasing dental caries and used in the preparation of Meswak toothpaste.
• The chemical present in the plant can control gingivostomatitis, skin infection and conjunctiva.
• The root bark is tonic, stimulant, emmenagogue. The stem bark is good for gastropathy.

Source: Agro-techniques of selected medicinal plants

• Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) is a tree native to India, and cultivated in tropical areas of the world.
• It is considered the “miracle tree”, because all its parts (leaves, flowers, fruits, wood and seeds) are used mainly for their pharmacological and nutritional properties.
• The crushed seeds are known for their very high capacity to purify drinking water.
• The leaves of the tree are so nutrient dense they are an integral part of the WHO and FAO programs for feeding the poor in indigent countries.
• In Ayurveda the moringa tree and its parts are used to treat over 300 ailments.