Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, revealed an ongoing plan to turn the city of Khorfakkan into a city surrounded by forests of trees, characterised by high oxygen levels, low carbon dioxide, and increased positive electrons, which will give residents comfort and tranquillity.

He also provided flower enthusiasts with valuable information on planting, from selecting suitable soil and obtaining it to the required light and its regulation, as well as the timing of pruning before March.

The Ruler of Sharjah said during a phone call on the Direct Line programme, hosted by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority: “Talking about agriculture and flowers stirs our emotions. The rose tree is very sensitive. If we plant it in soil containing even a little sand, this will affect the shape of the flower that grows at its top, because the root is sensitive and should not dry out. If it dries, the defect will appear in the flower, and it will grow twisted, bent, or incomplete in shape. The reason for this is the soil. The best place to obtain suitable soil is at the foot of the mountains beneath the slopes, where there is pure clay from the mountain without sand. When we plant flowers, we place canopies made of cloth with openings that allow sunlight to pass through, so that the flowers receive partial shade, not full shade. In this way, we allow light to reach the flowers without exposing them directly to the sun’s rays. We advise anyone who wants to plant flowers at home to obtain pure clay from the foot of the mountains and to use canopies in the manner we have described, to ensure light reaches the flowers while protecting them from harsh sunlight. Plants must also be pruned before the start of March, because roses do not grow on hard roots; they bloom on the new, tender branches.”

The Ruler of Sharjah spoke about the Qasd tree, saying, “The Qasd tree is a large, thorny, dense, and long-lived tree. It is distinguished by its interlaced branches and small leaves, reaching a height of about two metres. It lives in deserts and dry areas and withstands harsh climatic conditions. Its fruits are small, round, and fleshy, turning from green to red when ripe, and they are edible. In some countries, it is called ‘awsaj’. It used to exist in the Al Madam area, where there is a plain known as ‘Saih Al Qasd’. We have beautiful childhood memories of this tree, as we used to gather its delicious red fruits and eat them. We used to compete with the crows because they also picked these tasty fruits. I told them about a place I knew that had Qasd trees and asked them to search there. When they went, they found the trees dead, so I asked them to bring me some of the sand from there. I planted it, but nothing grew. Later, on my way to Al Badi, before entering the main road, I saw a tree from a distance and recognised it. I asked them to stop immediately, and indeed, we found it was a Qasd tree. Thankfully, I took cuttings from it for planting, but they told me it was dry and would not succeed. However, with God’s grace, we used a growth hormone, and the planting succeeded. Now we have it in the nursery, beautiful, with soft, swaying, and fruitful branches. Praise be to God, the Al Badi Palace nursery is full of millions of selected trees, to the extent that all the municipalities take seedlings from it, because municipal nurseries are no longer sufficient.”

The Ruler of Sharjah concluded by saying, “We are now working on planting the mountains of Khorfakkan. Specialised companies are digging pits in the ground along the paths of the valleys descending from the mountains, so that the water will be poured into these pits, where we will plant trees that will be irrigated by it, instead of the water flowing through the large valleys and emptying into the sea. God willing, the city of Khorfakkan will become a city surrounded by forests of trees. This will be distinguished by high oxygen levels, low carbon dioxide, and increased positive electrons, which will give residents a sense of comfort and calm. I had previously addressed the people of Khorfakkan when we began inaugurating its projects, and I told them, ‘Open your hearts like this sea of yours, which even if we threw carrion into it, would not become dirty.’