Trees, palms & planting

Two decisions do more for a new tree, palm or shrub's survival than anything that happens afterwards: when it goes in the ground, and how the hole is dug. Get both right and even a demanding species has a real chance; get either wrong and no amount of watering afterwards fully compensates, because roots that start crowded or that go in during peak heat rarely recover the vigour they lose in those first weeks.

The best planting window#

October to March is the best planting window for most trees, palms and shrubs across the UAE calendar (see our planting calendar) — cooler air and soil temperatures let roots establish before summer heat arrives, instead of fighting 45°C days while still trying to grow new roots. It's not an absolute rule: container-grown nursery stock with an intact root ball can go in almost any month with enough establishment watering, but the cool season gives every planting a real head start and is worth planning around wherever the project timeline allows.

Digging the hole right#

Dig wide, not deep. A hole two to three times the width of the root ball, but no deeper than the root ball itself, lets roots spread outward into loosened soil rather than hitting the sides of a narrow pit and circling — a common cause of a tree that never really anchors properly. Set the root ball level with the surrounding grade, not sunk into a bowl (which collects water around the trunk) or proud of it (which dries out the top of the root ball fast). Backfill with the native soil, lightly firmed, and build a shallow watering basin around the base to hold irrigation over the root zone rather than letting it run off.

Establishment vs mature watering#

A newly planted specimen and a mature one of the same species have almost nothing in common when it comes to water. In the first weeks after planting, roots are confined to the original root ball and dry out fast — daily or every-other-day watering is normal, even for a species that will later be genuinely drought-tolerant once established. As roots spread over the following one to two years, taper toward deeper, less frequent soaks that pull roots down and outward. Our irrigation service sets up a proper establishment schedule as part of a new planting zone, not just a mature-garden one.

Transplanting mature trees#

Relocating an existing mature tree, rather than removing it, is possible where access allows a large enough root ball to be dug, moved and replanted — though survival rates drop as tree size and root disturbance increase, and it's specialist work, not a DIY job. Some native species get extra protection: Dubai Municipality plaques and protects notable Ghaf trees, and moving or damaging a protected specimen without permission can carry fines from AED 1,000 to AED 50,000. Check with Dubai Municipality and your community management before removing or relocating any mature or potentially protected tree — see our NOC guide for the wider approvals picture.