Ghaf Gardens

Planting guide · Autumn (Oct–Nov)

What to plant in November in Dubai

Prime planting, in comfortable weather
Mean high30.7°CMean low21.1°CTo sow or plant80Flowering or fruiting48

November is the sweet spot. Highs near 31°C and nights around 21°C make it the first genuinely comfortable month, outdoors and in the soil. Planting is still at full strength: trees, palms, shrubs, lawns, groundcovers and winter colour all go in. Lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, radishes, carrots, beetroot, peas and coriander can be sown now that the heat-sensitive crops have the temperature they need. A Dubai winter vegetable garden lives or dies on its timing, and this is the month to get the main beds in.

Sow little and often, every two or three weeks, so you are never harvesting forty lettuces on a single Saturday. Feed and mulch as growth picks up, and finish any lawn overseeding before December. Prune spring- and summer-flowering shrubs lightly after their last flush. If irrigation, paths or a pergola are on the list, November's weather suits those jobs too.

A Dubai villa garden in autumn: freshly planted beds of young seedlings in dark soil around the pool, a striped lawn and a bare frangipani in soft golden light
  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 November

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

Vegetables & herbs (9)

Edible crops, herbs and fruit · Kitchen garden guide →

Mint
Mint (Mentha spicata), a clean sprig with green leaves

Mint

Mentha spicata

Part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Plant
Rosemary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) plant growing in a garden within the village of Trimingham, Norfolk, United Kingdom.

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Basil
Ocimum basilicum 8zz

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Sun/part shadeSalt: 1 of 5
Flowers
Cherry tomato
Cherry Tomatoes From The Garden

Cherry tomato

Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme

Full sunSalt: 1 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
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa 'Lollo Bionda' growing in an English garden

Lettuce

Lactuca sativa

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Plant
Curry leaf
Curry Trees

Curry leaf

Murraya koenigii

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Show 1 more
Coriander
A scene of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) leaves

Coriander

Coriandrum sativum

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Flowers (6)

Bedding and flowering annuals

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
Gazania
Yellow flowers of Gazania rigens

Gazania

Gazania rigens

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Flowers
Sunflower
Flower beds in park Kolomenskoye (Moscow). Helianthus annuus ‘Teddy Bear’

Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus pink flower. Taken at Burdwan, West Bengal, India.

Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus

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

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers
Dianthus
Dianthus chinensis picture taked at 2010-7-31, Oeam-ri, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea

Dianthus

Dianthus chinensis

Sun/part shadeSalt: 2 of 5
Flowers

Trees & palms (26)

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
Washingtonia Palm
A Mexican Fan Palm tree in Enterprise, Alabama.

Washingtonia Palm

Washingtonia robusta

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
Show 18 more
Pomegranate
Picture of a pomegranate fruit setting in a flower.

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Full sunSalt: 2 of 5
Adapted
Flowers
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
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
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
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

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
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
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
Texas Sage
Ornamental Texas sage in bloom

Texas Sage

Leucophyllum frutescens

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Flowers
Show 17 more
Crown of thorns
Full bloom during a rainy day

Crown of thorns

Euphorbia milii

Full sunSalt: 3 of 5
Caution
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
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

Lawn & grasses (12)

Turf and ornamental grasses

Desert grass
Desert grass and clipped shrubs in a corten-edged bed in a desert-modern Dubai garden

Desert grass

Pennisetum divisum

Full sunSalt: 4 of 5
Native
Flowers
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 4 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

Water plants (2)

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
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

Plant fruit trees through the cool season

Citrus and other fruit trees settle in best between now and March. Choose a sunny spot, water deeply and expect to shade a young tree in its first summer.

In flower or fruiting now

What is at its best in November

48 plants are in flower, fruit or harvest this month, so there is something to cut, pick or simply enjoy.

Also at it this month

Lantana (in flower),Petunia (in flower),Marigold (in flower),Zinnia (in flower),Wedelia (in flower),Crown of thorns (in flower),Mint (harvest),Basil (harvest),Cherry tomato (in flower),Banana (fruiting),Bird of paradise (in flower),Lemon tree (harvest),Pomegranate (harvest),Papaya (in flower),Okra (harvest),Chilli (in flower),Aubergine (in flower),Cucumber (harvest),Curry leaf (harvest),Coriander (harvest),Duranta (in flower, fruiting),Jatropha (in flower),Plumbago (in flower),Ruellia (in flower),Natal Plum (fruiting),Golden Shower Tree (fruiting),Purple fountain grass (in flower),Lemongrass (harvest),Pink muhly (in flower),Mondo grass (fruiting),Pampas grass (in flower),Coral vine (in flower),Rangoon creeper (in flower),Allamanda (in flower),Passion flower (in flower),Sesuvium (in flower),Gazania (in flower),Snapdragon (in flower),Dianthus (in flower),Water Lily (in flower)

Jobs this month

Comfortable outdoor season begins

Garden

  • Continue planting trees, shrubs and seasonal colour
  • Finish lawn overseeding or renovation if not already done
  • Feed and mulch beds to support the main growing season
  • Prune spring/summer-flowering shrubs lightly to shape after their last flush

Pool

  • Maintain weekly chemical balance checks as usage patterns shift
  • Check heating (if fitted) ahead of cooler evenings

Our tips for November

  • Sow salad crops every fortnight

    Short, repeated sowings of lettuce, spinach, rocket, radish and coriander beat one big planting.

  • Plant the main vegetable beds

    Brassicas, root crops, peas and herbs all go in now. Add a trellis for climbing crops at planting, not afterwards.

  • Finish lawn overseeding

    Complete it before December so new grass has the benefit of the remaining warm days.

  • Feed and mulch

    Growth is strong, so feed regularly and top up mulch to keep moisture steady.

  • Water in the morning

    Morning watering lets leaves dry out. The RHS notes that evening watering can encourage fungal disease on damp foliage.

Watch out for

Common November mistakes

  • Powdery mildew

    Cooler nights and rising humidity suit it. Look for white powder on cucurbits and roses, and give plants enough space for air to move.

  • Overwatering as evaporation falls

    Cooler air means plants use less water. Check the soil before each scheduled watering.

  • Crowded seedlings

    Thin seedlings early. Overcrowded plants compete for light and spread disease.

Keep reading

Guides for this time of year

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.