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Planting guide · Winter (Dec–Feb)

What to plant in January in Dubai

Bloom and harvest begin
Mean high24.4°CMean low15.3°CTo sow or plant38Flowering or fruiting31

January is the month Dubai gardeners wait the other eleven for. Daytime highs average 24°C, nights fall to about 15°C, the soil is cool but never cold, and the vegetables you sowed in autumn are heading for the kitchen. Winter bedding such as Petunia and Marigold is in full colour, and the garden finally feels like somewhere to sit rather than somewhere to manage.

It is still a very good planting month. Trees, palms and shrubs set out now have the whole of the cool season to root before April's heat, and quick leafy crops, herbs and radishes can go in every fortnight for a steady harvest. January is also one of the months when rain is most likely, around 21 mm in a typical year, so check the forecast before the irrigation controller fires. Deadhead bedding, feed what is flowering, and resist the urge to overwater: cool nights keep the soil damp for longer than it looks.

A Dubai villa garden in winter: a turquoise pool beside a striped green lawn, terracotta planters overflowing with petunias and white alyssum, and a bare-branched frangipani under a clear sky
  1. Jan24°
  2. Feb26°
  3. Mar29°
  4. Apr34°
  5. May38°
  6. Jun40°
  7. Jul42°
  8. Aug42°
  9. Sep40°
  10. Oct36°
  11. Nov31°
  12. Dec27°
  • Soil prep
  • Prime planting
  • Bloom and harvest
  • Last planting
  • Survival

Bar and figure: mean daily maximum, °C

Plant now

Sow and plant in January

38 plants have a sowing or planting window this month in our library, best bets first.

Vegetables & herbs (2)

Edible crops, herbs and fruit · Kitchen garden guide →

Lettuce
Lactuca sativa 'Lollo Bionda' growing in an English garden

Lettuce

Lactuca sativa

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Plant
Coriander
A scene of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) leaves

Coriander

Coriandrum sativum

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Flowers (2)

Bedding and flowering annuals

Petunia
Volunteer petunia growing from a sidewalk crack in a city neighborhood in Pittsburgh

Petunia

Petunia × atkinsiana

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus BCBG (02)

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Trees & palms (18)

Shade, structure and fruit

Ghaf
Prosopis cineraria tree known as Khejri in Rajasthani and Hindi

Ghaf

Prosopis cineraria

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
Sidr
Ziziphus spina-christi growing in Israel

Sidr

Ziziphus spina-christi

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
Samr
UAE native tree.Vachellia tortilis

Samr

Vachellia tortilis

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
Tamarisk
Tamarisk tree (Tamarix aphylla) — in southern Algeria.

Tamarisk

Tamarix aphylla

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
Neem
It is a neem tree in the month of January in Rajasthan state in India in 2025

Neem

Azadirachta indica

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Frangipani
This Plumeria rubra tree was photographed at Pune.

Frangipani

Plumeria rubra

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Olive
Wild Olive tree — Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata. Cape Town.

Olive

Olea europaea

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Pomegranate
Picture of a pomegranate fruit setting in a flower.

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Show 10 more
Mulberry
A picture of Morus alba. This particular tree is the Pennsylvania state champion and can be found at Longwood Gardens.

Mulberry

Morus alba

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Date Palm
Date palms lining a travertine path in a manicured Dubai villa garden

Date Palm

Phoenix dactylifera

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
Lemon tree
Lemon - fleur et fruit

Lemon tree

Citrus × limon

Full sunSalt: 1 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Fig
Figs on a branch, grown in Croatia

Fig

Ficus carica

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Plant
Bottlebrush
Melaleuca viminalis

Bottlebrush

Callistemon viminalis

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Flowers
Parkinsonia
Parkinsonia aculeata, trees in flower; naturalised alien invaded, between Boane and Bela Vista, Maputo Province, Moza...

Parkinsonia

Parkinsonia aculeata

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Caution
Flowers

Shrubs & climbers (11)

Borders, hedges, succulents and groundcover

Arak
Salvadora persica tree called Peeloo, Jal or Wann in different arid and semi arid areas of sub continent of India and...

Arak

Salvadora persica

Full sunSalt: 5 of 5
Native
Flowers
Hopbush
Dodonaea viscosa (hopbush) shrub with dense green foliage

Hopbush

Dodonaea viscosa

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
Sesuvium
Sesuvium portulacastrum (flowers and leaves). Location: Midway Atoll, Bulky Dump Sand Island

Sesuvium

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Full sunSalt: 5 of 5
Native
Flowers
Sea Jasmine
Sea jasmine (Volkameria) white star-shaped flower among glossy green leaves

Sea Jasmine

Clerodendrum inerme

Full sunSalt: 5 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Duranta
Duranta erecta ‘Sapphire Showers’. Common names: golden dewdrop, pigeon berry, and Picotee sky flower

Duranta

Duranta erecta

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Jatropha
Jatropha integerrima, Janakpur, Nepal

Jatropha

Jatropha integerrima

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Caution
Flowers
Plumbago
Blue Serenity in Bloom

Plumbago

Plumbago auriculata

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Ruellia
Mexican Bluebell

Ruellia

Ruellia simplex

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Show 3 more
Natal Plum
Carissa macrocarpa (fruit and flowers). Location: Maui, Kahului

Natal Plum

Carissa macrocarpa

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Flowers
Ficus Nitida
Ficus microcarpa L.f., Chinese banyan, habitus; Playa Santiago, La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain.

Ficus Nitida

Ficus microcarpa 'Nitida'

Sun/part shadeSalt: 3 of 5
Caution
Plant
Acalypha
Fotografia detalhada de uma folha de Flamengueira.

Acalypha

Acalypha wilkesiana

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Lawn & grasses (5)

Turf and ornamental grasses

Lomandra
Taken in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Lomandra

Lomandra longifolia

Sun/part shadeSalt: 3 of 5
Plant
Purple fountain grass
Poaceae - Red Fountain Grass; Ornamental plant,beautiful hedge plant,leaves purple,feathery plumes.

Purple fountain grass

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
AdaptedCaution
Flowers
Pink muhly
Purple muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is in bloom this fall in the National Garden.

Pink muhly

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Flowers
Mondo grass
Ophiopogon japonicus (Nana dwarf habit). Location: Maui, Kula Ace Hardware and Nursery

Mondo grass

Ophiopogon japonicus

Part shadeSalt: 4 of 5
Flowers
Pampas grass
Pampa grass inflorescences (Cortaderia selloana) in a garden, France.

Pampas grass

Cortaderia selloana

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Caution
Flowers
Raised timber vegetable beds with lettuce, tomatoes, chillies and herbs in a Dubai villa garden in winter

Sow vegetables

Raised beds earn their keep in January

Leafy greens, radishes, herbs and quick root crops grow fast in cool weather. Sow a short row every fortnight so the harvest never arrives all at once.

Vegetables for Dubai

In flower or fruiting now

What is at its best in January

31 plants are in flower, fruit or harvest this month, so there is something to cut, pick or simply enjoy.
Ziziphus spina-christi growing in Israel
In flowerFruiting

Sidr

Ziziphus spina-christi

Bougainvillea in full bloom, magenta and orange bracts against a blue sky
In flower

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea glabra

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Brilliant', a clean red flower
In flower

Hibiscus

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Volunteer petunia growing from a sidewalk crack in a city neighborhood in Pittsburgh
In flower

Petunia

Petunia × atkinsiana

The flower in bloom of a Tagetes erecta found in Innis Woods Metro Park.
In flower

Marigold

Tagetes erecta

Close-up of a zinnia flower (Zinnia elegans) Stacked with Helicon Focus from 15 pictures, taken in a garden in Bamber...
In flower

Zinnia

Zinnia elegans

Aloe vera (habit). Location: Maui, Kalepolepo
In flower

Aloe vera

Aloe vera

Full bloom during a rainy day
In flower

Crown of thorns

Euphorbia milii

Also at it this month

Mint (harvest),Basil (in flower, harvest),Rosemary (in flower),Cherry tomato (in flower, fruiting, harvest),Bird of paradise (in flower),Lemon tree (harvest),Papaya (in flower),Chilli (in flower, harvest),Aubergine (in flower, harvest),Lettuce (harvest),Curry leaf (harvest),Coriander (harvest),Jatropha (in flower),Plumbago (in flower),Natal Plum (fruiting),Golden Shower Tree (fruiting),Gazania (in flower),Sunflower (in flower),Snapdragon (in flower),Dianthus (in flower),Cosmos (in flower),Jade Plant (in flower),Kalanchoe (in flower)

Jobs this month

Cool, dry weather — the best month to be in the garden

Garden

  • Finish planting trees, palms and shrubs while temperatures are mild
  • Sow or plant out winter bedding, herbs and leafy vegetables
  • Cut back and tidy summer-flowering shrubs after their last flush
  • Watch new soft growth for aphids, which thrive in cooler weather

Pool

  • Keep weekly chemical balance checks; demand is lower but chlorine still off-gasses
  • Check the pump and filter run-time now that the pool is used less

Our tips for January

  • Sow leafy crops little and often

    Lettuce, rocket, spinach, coriander and radishes grow fast in cool weather. Sow a short row every two weeks rather than one big bed, so the harvest runs through to March instead of arriving in a single glut.

  • Plant trees and shrubs now

    A tree or shrub set out in January gets about three mild months to root before the heat builds. Water deeply at planting and keep the rootball moist, not soggy.

  • Deadhead to keep bedding flowering

    Pinch spent flowers off petunias and marigolds each week. It stops them setting seed and keeps colour coming into March.

  • Feed what is flowering

    A balanced slow-release feed under flowering shrubs and bedding supports the display. Leave anything dormant alone.

  • Let the rain do some of the work

    Dubai's most likely rain falls from December to March. Pause the irrigation controller after a shower instead of watering on top of it.

Watch out for

Common January mistakes

  • Aphids on soft new growth

    Cool, mild weather suits aphids. Check the tips of roses, hibiscus and new bedding every few days, and treat early with a strong jet of water or insecticidal soap.

  • Overwatering on cool nights

    Soil dries more slowly in winter, and roots sitting wet will rot. Push a finger 5 cm into the soil before you water.

  • A bare frangipani is not a dead one

    Frangipani and other leaf-drop plants stand bare in winter. That is dormancy. Wait for the new leaves before you pull anything out.

Keep reading

Guides for this time of year

A Dubai villa garden in spring: frangipani in full leaf and bougainvillea in bloom around a travertine pool under a timber pergola

Planting

The UAE planting calendar: what to plant in Dubai, month by month

Dubai's growing year runs backwards from Europe's: October to March is the cool season and the busy planting window, while April to September is mostly about keeping things alive.

29 Sept 2026 · 5 min read

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