Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Covid-19 stress management: Growing plants bring positivity in mindsets

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BY DR PRIYANKA VERMA


In the face of unprecedented social isolation due to the Covid -19 pandemic, our concerns about our mental and emotional well-being have become increasingly significant. While the most salient preventive measure of social distancing is our physical defense against the virus, there is wisdom in acknowledging the cost and burden of this protection; a heavy sum incurred by the mind and the soul. Health resides not solely in the flesh. If the spirit withers, the body is only a defenseless fortress. This article then is about tending-tending, as a conscientious gardener does, his small patch of earth, his orchard and his vineyard, and through the intimacy of his labor teaches us the value of tending to our souls.


Whenever getting the time away from household responsibilities, I spend tending to my baby plants. Every new root, every emerging leaf, is a source of delight. As much as I nourish them, unknowingly and in profound ways, they nourished in return.  More often I pick small seedlings, cuttings, dried or side-stream plants all of which are available at reasonable rates of ranging 500 baiza to 3.0 rials. Personally I do not prefer already-grown specimens for as a plant tissue culturist, I know that a single healthy cell can sprout into full growth given the proper conditions and nourishment.


 


 


Always mindful of spending time with plants, I experiment with various elements vital to their growth: the duration of sunlight, compost vs. hydroponics, cluster growth vs. single growth, with or without NPK fertilizer. Whenever a plant is not responding positively to outdoor conditions I raise their hydroponic cultures indoor.


Being a medicinal plant biotechnologist, I have a keen interest in growing medicinal plants. Salient reasons for their cultivation are the wound healing properties of false eranthemum; antimicrobial, carminative to antispasmodic activities of mentha and the antioxidant activity of aloe.


The plant species Boswellia sacra (anti-inflammatory frankincense) that is endemic to Dhofar region of Oman is one of the most important specimens in my nursery. Sur is located in the coastal area of Oman which experiences long hot and dry summers with less humidity. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt various plant growth habits that can contribute to acclimatizing the plant in harsh conditions.


Indoor hydroponics with an induced rooting system is one of them. The Pseuderanthemum carruthersii was one such plant that was unable to survive the hot summer months. However, it responded well and grew successfully under hydroponic conditions. Currently I have the stock of 25 plant species in indoor and outdoor conditions in a span of 6-7 months.


It includes outdoor plants namely Thevetia peruviana (yellow oleander); Nerium oleander (pink oleander); Plumeria obtusa (frangipani); Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle); Pseuderanthemum carruthersii (false eranthemum); Ixora coccinea (Dwarf ixora); Mentha (mint); Epipremnum aureum (Pathos); Coleus scutellarioides (coleus); Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant); Boswellia sacra (frankincense); Sabal minor (Dwarf palmetto).


Xerophytes including Opuntia (cacti), succulents like Agave americana (century plant), Aloe vera (Aloe), Portulacaria afra (dwarf jade), Guzmania (Bromeliad) are the other outdoor plants. The indoor plants include Dypsis Lutescens (Areca palm); Dianella varigata (flax lily); Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia) along with hydroponically grown Pathos, bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), Agave and snake plants.


With experience of 15 years in medicinal plant biotechnology, I have a deep conviction that we can have a strong anti-viral of plant origin that combat the mutative strains of deadly disease causing viruses in the future.


My time growing plants during the social isolation of COVID-19 has strengthened my bonds with nature, fortifying the belief that one’s passion towards greenery can repair earth environments. If the delicate way of handling plants is inculcated in children, they will learn to appreciate life and protect the single units that essentially constitute the lungs of the planet while also cultivating within themselves a patient and positive attitude towards life.


Speaking from my own experience as a researcher and a homemaker, while I advice on plant cultivation to all those afflicted by the stress and isolation caused by Covid lockdowns, but especially I am receptive of the psychological needs of women who find themselves juggling a multiplicity of tasks and priorities.


 


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