The Year,
at a glance.السنة في لمحة

Dubai's gardening calendar is the inverse of Europe's. The cool months are growth; the hot months are survival. Plan accordingly.

No. 04 — This month

April,
the soft turn.أبريل

The last cool weeks. Bougainvillea peaks. Begin shading. Harvest the last of the herbs before they bolt. The garden is preparing to rest.

Avg. high32°C
Avg. low21°C
Sunrise5:48
Daylight12.9h

This week's tasks

Refresh mulch on all bedsPalm-fibre, finger thick. Before the heat starts.
Sun
Prune bougainvillea hardAfter this bloom — last chance before summer.
Mon
Install 50% shade cloth on west bedHibiscus and frangipani will thank you.
Wed
Last harvest of mint and corianderDry what you cannot use; save seed.
Thu
Service drip irrigation timerMove waterings to 5:30am. Increase by 20%.
Fri
Walk the garden, take notesWhat worked this season. What didn't.
Sat
No. 01 — Annual cycle
Jan يناير
Feb فبراير
Mar مارس
Apr أبريل
May مايو
Jun يونيو
Jul يوليو
Aug أغسطس
Sep سبتمبر
Oct أكتوبر
Nov نوفمبر
Dec ديسمبر
Plant trees
Plant herbs
Bloom
Vegetable harvest
Date harvest
Watering needs
Pruning
Fertilising
Mulch refresh
Shade cloth up
Low activityActivePeakBloomHeat alert
No. 02 — The four moods

Four seasons,
two of them difficult.

Season 01

Establishment

الاستقرارOct – Dec
  • Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials
  • Sow vegetable seeds and herbs
  • Build new beds; amend soil
  • Begin composting kitchen scraps
21°C avg5h water/wk
Season 02

Bloom

الإزهارJan – Apr
  • Peak bougainvillea, hibiscus, jasmine
  • Vegetable harvest in March
  • Light fertilising; mulch refresh
  • Photograph the garden — your record
26°C avg10h water/wk
Season 03

Survival

البقاءMay – Sep
  • Shade cloth up; canopy structures
  • Dawn watering only — daily
  • Stop fertilising; let plants idle
  • Weekly leaf-rinse to wash dust
41°C avg21h water/wk
Season 04

Recovery

التعافيSep – Oct
  • Remove shade as nights cool
  • Hard prune of summer-stressed plants
  • First fertilising in five months
  • Plan winter beds; order seeds
33°C avg14h water/wk