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Planting guide · Spring (Mar–May)

What to plant in March in Dubai

Last great month: bloom, harvest, final planting
Mean high28.9°CMean low18.6°CTo sow or plant67Flowering or fruiting60

March is the hinge of the Dubai year. Highs reach about 29°C, nights are still a comfortable 18 to 19°C, and the garden is as generous as it will be: spring bloom, the tail of the winter harvest, and the last month in which almost anything can be planted without a fight. Tree and shrub planting should finish now. Roots set in March get a few weeks before temperatures climb towards 34°C in April; roots set in May start from behind.

The vegetable bed changes over. Tomatoes and lettuce are nearly done, while okra, aubergine, Armenian cucumber, melons and sweet potato go in as the soil warms. Warm-season lawns such as Bermuda grass and Seashore paspalum wake up and can be patched or overseeded. Start the summer routine early: mulch beds 5 to 7 cm deep, begin fitting shade cloth over anything young, and inspect palms for early signs of red palm weevil while the weather still lets you enjoy the job.

A Dubai villa garden in spring: frangipani in flower, bougainvillea in full bloom along the boundary wall and pink vinca in the planters, beside a sparkling pool under a bright blue 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 March

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

Vegetables & herbs (5)

Edible crops, herbs and fruit

Okra
Earth100's Okra Plant, growing in Hong Kong, on August 25, 2012

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Chilli
Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio

Chilli

Capsicum annuum

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Aubergine
An Aubergine plant “Moneymaker F1” (Solanum melongena) growing in a greenhouse within in the village of Trimingham, N...

Aubergine

Solanum melongena

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Cucumber
ARS cucumber

Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Plant
Curry leaf
Curry Trees

Curry leaf

Murraya koenigii

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Flowers (4)

Bedding and flowering annuals

Portulaca
White Portulaca grandiflora (moss rose) flower, close-up

Portulaca

Portulaca grandiflora

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Bird of paradise
Ave-do-paraíso, Strelitzia reginae, em Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Bird of paradise

Strelitzia reginae

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Celosia
The Celosia flower

Celosia

Celosia argentea

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Heliconia
Near Palm Tree House, Woodfordhill, Dominica, W.I.

Heliconia

Heliconia psittacorum

Part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Flowers

Trees & palms (15)

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
Moringa
Moringa oleifera. Common names: Drumstick Tree. Horseradish Tree.

Moringa

Moringa oleifera

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Washingtonia Palm
A Mexican Fan Palm tree in Enterprise, Alabama.

Washingtonia Palm

Washingtonia robusta

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Foxtail Palm
Foxtail Palm at SeaWorld Orlando in Orange County, FL

Foxtail Palm

Wodyetia bifurcata

Sun/part shadeSalt: 3 of 5
Flowers
Bismarck Palm
Bismarckia nobilis (Bismarck palm) in a garden setting

Bismarck Palm

Bismarckia nobilis

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Flowers
Lemon tree
Lemon - fleur et fruit

Lemon tree

Citrus × limon

Full sunSalt: 1 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Show 7 more
Guava
Red guava (Psidium guajava) on a black background.

Guava

Psidium guajava

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
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
Mango
Mangoes (Magnifera indica) from West Bengal, India. Photo taken by Yogabrata Chakraborty, on June 9, 2022.

Mango

Mangifera indica

Full sunSalt: 1 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Banana
Banana (Musa acuminata) plant with broad leaves, flower blossom and a forming fruit bunch

Banana

Musa acuminata

Full sunSalt: 1 of 5
Flowers
Traveller's palm
Botanical specimen in Sankyo Garden, Guam, USA.

Traveller's palm

Ravenala madagascariensis

Full sunSalt: 1 of 5
Flowers
Papaya
Developing papaya fruits clustered on the trunk of a papaya tree

Papaya

Carica papaya

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Shrubs & climbers (25)

Borders, hedges, succulents and groundcover

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

Aloe vera

Aloe vera

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Lantana
Flower and leaves of Lantana camara

Lantana

Lantana camara

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Flowers
Wedelia
Creeping Oxeye (scientifically known as Sphagneticola trilobata) is a fast-growing, mat-forming perennial herb widely...

Wedelia

Sphagneticola trilobata

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Caution
Flowers
Agave
A specimen of a Century plant (Agave americana) in the countryside within the neighbourhood of Mosqueira, north of th...

Agave

Agave americana

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Plant
Desert Rose
Desert rose (Adenium obesum) with pink flowers and a swollen caudex

Desert Rose

Adenium obesum

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Native
Flowers
Texas Sage
Ornamental Texas sage in bloom

Texas Sage

Leucophyllum frutescens

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Flowers
Show 17 more
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
Natal Plum
Carissa macrocarpa (fruit and flowers). Location: Maui, Kahului

Natal Plum

Carissa macrocarpa

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Flowers
Coral vine
ニトベカズラの花（2025年9月 沖縄県石垣市 バンナ公園）

Coral vine

Antigonon leptopus

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Caution
Flowers
Rangoon creeper
Chinese Honeysuckle, Rangoon Creeper

Rangoon creeper

Combretum indicum

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Allamanda
Flowers of Allamanda cathartica in West Bengal, India. Photo taken by Yogabrata Chakraborty, on August 1, 2022.

Allamanda

Allamanda cathartica

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Jade Plant
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) on May 17, 2018 in Los Altos, California.

Jade Plant

Crassula ovata

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Prickly Pear
Opuntia ficus-indica growing at Pol·lèntia, an archaeological site in Alcúdia, Mallorca, Spain

Prickly Pear

Opuntia ficus-indica

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Caution
Flowers
Pencil Cactus
Pencil Cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli)

Pencil Cactus

Euphorbia tirucalli

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Caution
Plant
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 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
Passion flower
Flor da paixón, O Grove

Passion flower

Passiflora caerulea

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Elephant ear
Alocasia macrorrhiza specimen in the Jardin botanique du Val Rahmeh, Menton, Alpes-Maritimes, France.

Elephant ear

Alocasia macrorrhizos

Part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Plant

Lawn & grasses (11)

Turf and ornamental grasses

Vetiver
Ramacham1

Vetiver

Chrysopogon zizanioides

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Caution
Flowers
Lomandra
Taken in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Lomandra

Lomandra longifolia

Sun/part shadeSalt: 3 of 5
Plant
Bermuda grass
Cynodon dactylon (Couch Grass) photographed on a private property in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.

Bermuda grass

Cynodon dactylon

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
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
Lemongrass
Gardenology.org-IMG 2892 rbgs11jan

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Plant
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
Show 3 more
Zoysia grass
​在一個庭園裡的「臺北草」與造景兼具實際功能的踏腳石等。

Zoysia grass

Zoysia matrella

Sun/part shadeSalt: 3 of 5
Plant
Pampas grass
Pampa grass inflorescences (Cortaderia selloana) in a garden, France.

Pampas grass

Cortaderia selloana

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Caution
Flowers
St Augustine grass
Starr-160716-0140-Stenotaphrum secundatum-habit with Quercus sp-Boca Regional Hospital-Florida (29668096745)

St Augustine grass

Stenotaphrum secundatum

Sun/part shadeSalt: 3 of 5
Plant

Indoor (3)

For cool, air-conditioned rooms

Peace lily
Peace lily - 1 - cropped

Peace lily

Spathiphyllum wallisii

Part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Plant
Areca palm
Photo taken in National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.

Areca palm

Dypsis lutescens

Part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Plant
Anthurium
Flamingo lilies

Anthurium

Anthurium andraeanum

Part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Plant

Water plants (4)

Ponds, rills and water features

Umbrella Sedge
Cyperus alternifolius, Landscape plants of the UAE, Monocotyledonous flower

Umbrella Sedge

Cyperus involucratus

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Adapted
Plant
Water Lily
A flower of the 'Peach Glow' cultivar of hardy water-lily (genus Nymphaea), photographed just after rain at the Brook...

Water Lily

Nymphaea (tropical hybrids)

Sun/part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Flowers
Lotus
Flower of Nelumbo nucifera, bean of India.

Lotus

Nelumbo nucifera

Full sunSalt: 1 of 5
Flowers
Papyrus
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, UGANDA

Papyrus

Cyperus papyrus

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Plant
A small home orchard in a Dubai villa garden: mango, pomegranate with fruit, fig and citrus trees in pots

Fruit trees

The last easy month to plant a fruit tree

Fruit trees have to cope with summer heat, alkaline soil and salty water. Plant now, shade the young tree through its first summer, and water deeply rather than often.

Fruit trees for Dubai

In flower or fruiting now

What is at its best in March

60 plants are in flower, fruit or harvest this month, so there is something to cut, pick or simply enjoy.
Prosopis cineraria tree known as Khejri in Rajasthani and Hindi
In flower

Ghaf

Prosopis cineraria

Ziziphus spina-christi growing in Israel
FruitingHarvest

Sidr

Ziziphus spina-christi

Tamarisk tree (Tamarix aphylla) — in southern Algeria.
In flower

Tamarisk

Tamarix aphylla

It is a neem tree in the month of January in Rajasthan state in India in 2025
In flower

Neem

Azadirachta indica

Tabebuia rosea (pink trumpet tree) in full bloom against a blue sky
In flower

Pink Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia rosea

Wild Olive tree — Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata. Cape Town.
In flower

Olive

Olea europaea

Conocarpus tree canopy with clusters of small seed heads
In flower

Damas

Conocarpus lancifolius

Date palms lining a travertine path in a manicured Dubai villa garden
In flower

Date Palm

Phoenix dactylifera

Also at it this month

Foxtail Palm (in flower),Bougainvillea (in flower),Ixora (in flower),Hibiscus (in flower),Oleander (in flower),Yellow Bells (in flower),Lantana (in flower),Arak (in flower),Hopbush (in flower),Desert Rose (in flower),Petunia (in flower),Marigold (in flower),Zinnia (in flower),Wedelia (in flower),Desert grass (in flower),Aloe vera (in flower),Crown of thorns (in flower),Mint (harvest),Basil (in flower, harvest),Rosemary (in flower),Cherry tomato (fruiting, harvest),Bird of paradise (in flower),Traveller's palm (in flower),Mango (in flower),Lemon tree (in flower, harvest),Pomegranate (in flower),Guava (in flower),Papaya (in flower, fruiting),Mulberry (in flower, fruiting),Chilli (in flower, harvest),Aubergine (in flower, harvest),Lettuce (harvest),Curry leaf (harvest),Coriander (in flower, harvest),Duranta (in flower),Jatropha (in flower),Plumbago (in flower),Ruellia (in flower),Natal Plum (in flower, fruiting),Bottlebrush (in flower),Parkinsonia (in flower),Yellow Trumpet Tree (in flower),Purple fountain grass (in flower),Coral vine (in flower),Sesuvium (in flower),Gazania (in flower),Sunflower (in flower),Snapdragon (in flower),Dianthus (in flower),Cosmos (in flower),Prickly Pear (in flower),Kalanchoe (in flower)

Jobs this month

Last comfortable month before the heat builds

Garden

  • Finish any remaining tree and shrub planting before summer heat arrives
  • Overseed or patch-repair natural lawns before the growing season speeds up
  • Begin tapering establishment watering schedules toward a summer routine
  • Inspect palms for early signs of red palm weevil activity

Pool

  • Rising temperatures mean faster chlorine loss — recheck balance weekly
  • Check water level and top up as evaporation increases

Our tips for March

  • Finish tree and shrub planting

    This is the last comfortable month for it. Plant early in the morning or at dusk, water in well, and shade anything tender for the first fortnight.

  • Swap cool crops for heat-lovers

    Pull tired lettuce and brassicas and replace them with okra, aubergine, Armenian cucumber and sweet potato, which want the warmth that is coming.

  • Patch and overseed warm-season lawns

    Bermuda and paspalum speed up as the soil warms, so thin patches knit quickly now. Do it before the main growing season starts.

  • Mulch before the heat arrives

    A 5 to 7 cm layer of organic mulch keeps roots cooler and slows evaporation. It is far easier to lay now than in May.

  • Get shade cloth ready

    30 to 50% shade cloth over young plantings and sensitive vegetables goes up in March or April, before you need it.

Watch out for

Common March mistakes

  • Lettuce and spinach bolt fast

    As days warm, leafy crops run to seed within days. Harvest hard, then replace them rather than waiting.

  • Red palm weevil

    Look at the crown of each palm for collapsing or chewed fronds and unusual fibrous debris. If it looks wrong, ask a qualified arborist to check it early.

  • A winter watering schedule running into April

    Nights are still cool but days warm quickly. Review the controller every couple of weeks instead of leaving the winter settings in place.

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

Lawns hero: a flawless striped seashore-paspalum lawn meeting a crisp limestone kerb edge in a Dubai villa garden

Planting

Paspalum vs Bermuda grass: which lawn suits your Dubai garden?

Paspalum, often sold locally as "Sharjah grass", handles shade and salty irrigation water better than Bermuda, sold as "American grass", which is usually cheaper to install and tougher in full sun.

29 Sept 2026 · 5 min read

Get it done

Want it planted properly?

Our team plants, prepares soil and sets up irrigation across Dubai, and Garden Care keeps it all alive through summer.

Sources

Pool + garden care

From AED 500/month

Price depends on your garden's size, pool and complexity. Prices in AED, excluding 5% VAT.

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