How to keep your UAE garden blooming in 50 °C — according to Dubai gardeners

In a little corner of Dubai, Eda Ozturk Davasligil grows a garden.

It isn’t just her passion, hobby or something she does to while away time. From the little rows of white flowers at the entrance, to the pot of bell-peppers, watermelons and the mangoes, sweet potato and basil, From the rows of white flowers at the entrance to pots of bell peppers, watermelons, mangoes, sweet potatoes, and basil — each plant reflects her love and effort. It’s the second home, outside her real one, with a little space for tortoises to soak in the mud, with her cat watching dubiously from inside.

And, from our many conversations, this little green haven has been home to over round 90 varieties of plants including cherries, bananas, papayas, onions, lettuce, kale, varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, lemons, passion fruits, radish, strawberries.

She beams with a radiant pride as she walks around the rows of flowers, plants, patiently identifying, each one. Just like her, many gardeners in Dubai have learned to master summer gardening despite the intense heat. Drawing from their experience, here’s how you too can nurture a thriving garden during the UAE summer.

So, with their help, here’s how you can nurture a few potted herbs on your high-rise balcony or tending to a full-fledged villa garden, through scorching heat.

“We tend to think that nothing will grow in the weather, but that’s not true, plants are not like us. But we have to choose the right crops,” explains Davasligil.

For starters, switch to the summer crops by March or April. You can put the seeds so that they can grow a little bit and handle the heat later on in August and September. “Some crops really like the heat, like okhra, watermelon, greens like basil, they grow during the summer. The key point is to sow them earlier,” explains Davasligil. For those who want to grow cucumbers, she has some advice. “Normally, cucumbers should be grown from September onwards, till March, but when the weather gets hot, by June, I would say it’s going to be over. You can grow Armenian cucumbers. It handles the heat well,” she explains.

As she and Dubai-based Ipshita Sharma, a freelancer who has her own balcony garden explain, some plants just do well in the heat. Start by selecting drought-tolerant and sun-loving species that naturally flourish in arid environments.

Top choices for outdoor summer gardening:

Edible options:  Try basil, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. These are all herbs that tolerate high heat when watered smartly.

Watering during the UAE summer isn’t about quantity. It’s about technique. Davasligil prefers drip irrigation. “The moment you water the garden, you have to water it twice a day and that’s really important,” she says.

Here are watering tips:

Time it right: Water early in the morning (before 7 AM) or after 7 PM to prevent evaporation.

Deep watering: Focus on long, deep watering sessions 2–3 times a week.

Drip irrigation or soaker hoses: These minimise water waste and deliver hydration right to the roots where it matters most.

Use greywater smartly: If you’re conscious about sustainability, consider reusing water from AC condensation or mild dishwashing, as long as it's free of chemicals.

Davasligil stresses the importance of keeping the soil consistently moist, even if you’re away or travelling. “I always say, don’t leave the soil empty—put something there and make sure it stays moist,” she explains. Healthy roots need moisture to grow strong. If you stop watering completely, you risk killing the beneficial organisms in the soil, which can seriously harm your garden and make it harder to start fresh in the next season.

Remember that all plants cannot withstand the mid-day sun, especially during peak July and August, warns Davasligil.

Here is what you can do:

·         A thick layer of organic mulch can make all the difference during hot, dry months.

·         Use wood chips, straw, coconut husk, or dried leaves.

·         Mulch helps retain moisture, cool the soil, and reduce evaporation.

·         It also suppresses weeds, which can steal precious water from your plants.

As Sharma says, containers are your best friend in the summer.

Davasligil explains that it is preferable to not fertilise them in the summer. “Manure already heats up the soil, so we don’t use any fertiliser on the soil. Liquid fertilisers are preferable, like seaweed, but I don’t use it in the summer.  It’s not as if it makes them grow, so we preferably start fertilising in October.”

Here’s what you can remember:

Finally, gardening during a UAE summer is not about resisting the environment; it’s about working with it. By choosing the right plants, using smart watering techniques, and giving your garden the protection it needs, you can create a lush, rewarding space even in the hottest months.

In other words, your summer garden is only a few clever choices away.