It can be cumbersome to maintain a home lawn in Dubai due to the city’s hot and arid climate. It all comes down to selecting the right plants and taking their proper care. This way, you can achieve a lush, green lawn all year round.
Without wasting a minute, here’s an easy-to-follow guide to help you maintain a healthy and lush green home lawn in Dubai.
- Understanding Dubai’s Climate
- Tips for Maintaining a Healthy and Lush Green Lawn
- Plants and Grass Varieties Well-Suited to Dubai’s Climate
- FAQs
Understanding Dubai’s Climate
Dubai’s weather is sweltering from June to September, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F). Winter, on the other hand, is milder, with temperatures ranging from 14°C to 24°C (57° to 75°F). The climate is not ideal for most plants and grass, to say the least, as the intense heat can cause water to evaporate more quickly.
Tips for Maintaining a Healthy and Lush Green Lawn
Here are some handy tips for maintaining a home lawn in Dubai:
1. Watering Frequency
As most of us know, watering is an important part of gardening and maintaining a home garden. However, the timing and frequency are significant to the plant’s healthy growth. When it is hot and arid, water more deeply and frequently, say, 5 to 8 minutes twice daily.
When it is dry and cooler, consider deep and less frequent watering. This encourages the grass to grow longer and develop deeper roots, which are more capable of dealing with droughts.
2. Early Morning or Late Evening
The timing of watering is also key. Water the grass and plants early in the morning or late in the evening, as the temperature is cooler during these times. If you water it when the sunlight and heat are at its peak, the plants get a shock and might not adapt well to it.
3. Install a Self-watering Irrigation System
If you are too busy to water the greens in your lawn regularly, consider installing a self-watering irrigation system. There are automatic self-watering irrigation systems that can be installed on your lawn, or if that’s too expensive, you can go for the DIY self-watering ropes method.
4. Aerate Your Lawn Regularly
It is important to aerate your home lawn regularly. This allows the roots to breathe some oxygen and prevents root rot. It also helps the nutrients to reach the roots easily. To aerate your lawn, scoop or make holes at random intervals throughout the area.
5. Regular Mulching
Mulching is the process of adding dry plant parts to the topsoil. This helps the soil retain moisture, enhances soil quality, and allows the nutrients to reach the soil easily. Fallen-out leaves, grass, straw, nut shells, twigs, and crop residues can all be used as mulch.
6. Mowing and Trimming
Moving and trimming are part of the process to keep your home lawn healthy. Always remove the dead parts, brown leaves, and dry stems to encourage healthy growth. Trimming your plants actually encourages healthy growth. For grass, mow it to a medium length.
7. Fertilisation – Organic and Chemical
When the soil does not have enough nutrients, no matter how much you water it, the lawn won’t flourish. It is suggested that the soil be fertilised to provide it with essential nutrients.
In Dubai, the soil is sandy and lacks nutrients; it is best to fertilise it every month. Organic fertiliser will break down slowly, releasing nutrients in the soil.
8. Pest and Weed Control
This is another important tip to maintain a home lawn in Dubai or anywhere else. Pests and weed growth are common in lawns and gardens. Sometimes you even see prominent signs of it on the plants in the form of discoloration and holes. It is best that you add some pesticides and insecticides into the soil and spray some on the leaves and flowers.
9. Hire a Professional
If you don’t see a positive change after applying all the tips, it is best to seek professional help. It will save you time, plus the professionals know their job well, so you can rest assured that your lawn is in good hands.
Plants and Grass Varieties Well-Suited to Dubai’s Climate
Considering Dubai’s hot weather, there are certain types of grasses, plants, and shrubs that you can grow in ample sunlight.
Ideal Grass for Lawns in Dubai
Here are the ideal grass types for your Dubai lawn:
1. Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass loves the sun and can tolerate Dubai’s heat quite well. It flourishes when watered well and is durable to wear and tear, making it ideal for lawns where there is a lot of movement and walking. But keep in mind that it needs a lot of mowing.
2. Zoysia Grass
Zoysia is another grass variety that is tolerant to heat and extreme weather conditions. It can handle drought situations well and requires much less water. This makes Zoysia a good choice for those who want to maintain a lawn in Dubai without watering regularly.
3. Paspalum Grass
Paspalum grass can handle salty water and still grow well in your lawn, making it a popular choice for lawns in Dubai.
Ideal Blooms for Dubai Lawns
Let’s find out some flowers ideal for a Dubai lawn:
1. Lantana Camara
Lantana Camara, more commonly known as Lantana, can tolerate Dubai’s heat, requires minimal watering, and loves the sun. In a bright and open spot, it will grow bright little flowers that add to the aesthetics of your lawn.
2. Gazania
Gazania Uniflora and Gazania Rigens, also known as Treasure Flower or African Daisy, are blooming plants that grow up to a medium height with bright, daisy-like flowers. They grow best in full sun and are drought-resistant, so you don’t have to water them much.
3. Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is a popular choice in Dubai for its vibrant flowers and ability to withstand extreme heat and dry conditions.
4. Oleander
Oleander is another heat-tolerant shrub that blooms well in the hot Dubai climate.
FAQs
During the hot summer months, it’s recommended to water your lawn every day or every other day. Water it preferably early in the morning or late evening to minimise water loss and temperature shock. The watering requirements, however, vary depending on the plant/grass type.
Bermuda grass is one of the best choices for Dubai due to its high heat tolerance and ability to recover quickly from wear and tear.
To maintain a lawn in Dubai, follow these tips.
– Ensure proper watering.
– Aerate your lawn soil.
– Add mulch and fertiliser to the soil regularly.
– Avoid cutting the grass too short and trim the dead parts of the plants.
– Take help from a professional.
– Make use of pesticides and weed control.
Maintaining a perfect lawn in Dubai requires some effort and time. You need to pay attention to it, and considering the weather conditions in the metropolis, you should opt for certain plant and grass varieties.
In addition, you can also check out the home garden decor ideas to keep your gardens looking welcoming.
