GREEN FOOTPRINT: The community gardeners at Mansoura pose beneath the thick roof of bottle gourd and snake gourd creepers.
Physical barriers have never acted as a fence for those sharing love for greenery. The love for nature dissolves all borders. Years ago, plantation in Qatar was a rarity due to the notion that country’s soil and climate were not so conducive.
Now, that notion is being challenged with the rows of colourful flowers and thick greenery all over the country. Excitement for flower and vegetable cultivation among people has shown a manifold increase.
A variety of pots, charming flowers, different types of seeds and soil has become part of every household’s shopping list. At many places, this fervour for gardening has united different set of people to take up community gardening.
Four families living in a villa compound in Mansoura have teamed up to create a beautiful vegetable garden attracting many. In their professional lives, four couples — Rajil and Diviya, Dinesh and Sarita, Anil and Devika and Bijil and Jesina — are poles apart. But when it comes to environment, all of them share a common goal, that is, to keep their environment green and clean.
“We have segregated the area and each one takes care of different sections, but we lend help to each other as and when needed. We work together as a team and enjoy our outdoor time together as friends,” says Anil, one of the brains behind the idea.
He shared his experience of community gardening with Community.
Brief us little about your community gardening initiative. How did you start it and what are its benefits?
Our love for plants dates back to 1998. Although we started on a very small scale by growing plants in the pots at our homes, after sometime we started outdoor gardening. Initially, at the individual level, we started growing some flowering and ornamental plants, then some tomatoes, ladyfingers, beans etc., till we came up with the idea of community gardening.
Since the last six years, we have been doing it collectively, by pooling resources and ideas. By gardening, we get the benefit of eating home grown organic vegetables which are safe and 100% healthy to eat. The joy of seeing seeds germinate and grow day by day and yield vegetables/flowers is both inspirational and therapeutic.
COLOURS OF LIFE: Blossoms of morning glory glowing in a row of the hanging pots.
Tell us what all vegetables do you grow? And how good it yields?
Over the years, we have grown brinjal, capsicum, chilies, tomatoes, bitter gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ash gourd, pumpkin, parsley, coriander, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, butter beans, long broad beans, string beans, Amaranth-cheera, cucumber, curry leaves, drumstick, fenugreek, garlic, onion, potato, mint, lady’s finger, spinach, turmeric, arrow root. Some of them give very high yield, which we share with our friends and colleagues. This doubles our joy from growing and sharing our produce. This ensures that no produce is wasted.
What is the process of gardening in Qatar? Do you buy special seeds or soil?
We prepare the soil in late summer by mixing compost, cow dung, goat dung, plant waste, vegetable and fruit peels, egg shells etc. We buy some outdoor and potting soil as per requirement. We harvest some seeds from the existing plants and the rest we source from friends and nurseries.
How much time do you spend in gardening? What difficulties and challenges gardening in Qatar entails?
Initially, we had to work harder and spend about 2-4 hours each day. Later, 1-2 hours were enough. Climate is a big challenge. And when the seedlings are young, birds eat all the young sprouts if not covered.
Since the climate and the soil in Qatar is not that suitable for gardening, how do you manage to grow vegetables here?
We begin by sowing seeds in July/August in a small shaded nursery protected by nets to keep out the birds. As they grow, we plant them outdoors when the climate becomes favourable. If everything goes well, we could get the yield from November onwards until April. It’s difficult to grow vegetables in summer. For 3-4 months, we don’t need to buy tomatoes and some other vegetables we already grow.
As you have seen vegetables growing in your kitchen garden, do you think it will be wrong to say that Qatar is not good for agriculture?
It all depends on your efforts, patience and positive attitude. Agriculture is definitely possible if you can plan and manage gardening according to the existing conditions and grow vegetables and crops in harmony with nature, especially those that adapt to the climate. Otherwise, scientifically-run temperature controlled greenhouses on farms are a good option. There are so many success stories all around us. A weekend visit to any of the agricultural/vegetable yards at Al Wakra, Al Mazrowaa, Al Khor or Al Dhakira will always amaze nature lovers like me, especially the first time when we see the variety and freshness of the vegetables produced in Qatar.
Sizzling summer is on the anvil; how will it affect your vegetation?
It will severely affect the outdoor vegetation. Most of it dries out, but we move whatever possible, especially decorative plants in pots to shaded or partially shaded areas and they survive the summer. If adequate protection is given, some plants can be maintained for many years.
What will be your message for the people who love gardening?
Go green. Become a farmer in your own right. Eat healthy homegrown stuff and be inspired by the wonders of nature you help to create. You will also become positive minded, less stressful and patient in life. Children should be encouraged and supported by parents in gardening. It will help them to connect with nature and experience the unique joy of growing/creating something on their own. This process will help them develop patience, appreciation and respect for nature and farmers as well.
A peasant is someone we depend on daily for food on the table. Let’s respect them for their dedication and hard work.
MESSAGE
“Eat healthy homegrown stuff and be inspired by the wonders of nature you help to create. You will also become positive minded, less stressful and patient in life. Children should be encouraged and supported by parents in gardening. It will help them to connect with nature and experience the unique joy of growing/creating something on their own”
— Anil, community gardener