It is said that you can’t put a square peg in a round hole, yet gardeners in the UAE routinely challenge convention, cultivating plants in soils and climates that are entirely alien to them.
Those planting fruit trees are perhaps the most adventurous of all. Here, an understanding of which specimens will adapt and which will not is particularly important. Many deciduous trees never properly cast off their leaves, as temperatures in the UAE don’t get cold enough. For fruit trees such as apples and pears, a cold snap is an essential stimulus for flowering and fruiting, and while such trees may occasionally be sold at local markets and nurseries in the UAE, cultivating these in the hope of ultimately harvesting juicy apples and pears is a little like pinning jelly to the wall.
Instead, gardeners should focus horticultural efforts on species that, with the right care, can adapt, survive and ultimately produce a crop. Most woody fruit trees take a little time to become established before fruiting – it can be three or four years for citrus – but many fruiting trees and plants also have aesthetic qualities that offset a gardening investment of several seasons.
Read more: 10 fruit trees good to grow in the UAE
Bruce Pedersen, nursery production, sales and technical manager at Marmara International Landscaping, trained as a horticulturalist in South Africa – largely because, as a young man, he identified this as a profession where he “wouldn’t ever have to wear a tie to work.” He has spent 25 years in the business of plants, seeds and landscaping, working in places such as Qatar, Sudan, Nigeria and the UAE – which means he is well placed to advise on which fruit trees to cultivate in this part of the world, and how to care for them.
“It’s better to invest in a smaller specimen as these are easier to establish, so something that is around 1.5 metres tall and 18 to 24 months old [for citrus] is ideal. It’s going to acclimatise a lot better than taking a mature orange tree, where there may be instant aesthetic gratification,” says Pedersen. Larger trees have to work that much harder to survive through summer, while a newly planted specimen may not have a sufficiently established root system to sustain it in a new location.
New trees can be planted any time from the end of summer, but it’s important to give them enough lead time to establish and build up reserves before they have to face the challenges of rising temperatures, and a period of dormancy over the summer months. If you start planting now, you’ll still be safe.
When buying plant specimens, ensure that they are stable in their container, rather than loose. “Look for straight stems with good lateral branches, check for crown deformities and also plant size in relation to container. Large plants squashed within small containers may have a compromised root system,” Pedersen advises.
“Compost twice a year and fertilise your plants just before the growing season. Papaya, banana and mango all need compost, but try not to dig it in, especially with citrus, as it will damage the surface roots. Instead, it should be layered around the plant and allowed to break down – advise your gardener not to rake it away before it’s done its job.”
When fruit trees are in flower, they should be fertilised with an organic mix containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (NPK). Look for organic products designed for flowering plants or fruit trees, or feed for tomato plants, which works just as well. Feed up plants before the onset of summer to give them the necessary reserves as they slow down. Follow the directions given with the fertiliser or feed, and don’t overdo it or the plant will become soft and potentially more susceptible to insect infestation.
A surface application of neem oil is disruptive to the life cycle of insects and, as it is oil based, also suffocates red spiders. Washing down plants with a hosepipe from time to time will also dislodge some insects. Vinegar and water makes a very good fungicide and is useful for grapes. An application of flower of sulphur will also help.
Fruit-bearing woody plants and vines should be pruned after producing fruit, as they go into a dormant state. Take off the die back and trim down the central portion of the tree to clear the crown and allow the air to circulate between branches, which helps to reduce pests, as well as encourage new growth. Ideally, fruit trees should be pruned in such a way to allow more fruit to be available on the outside.
The majority of fruit trees available at plant markets here are imported, so none of them are traditionally grown in soil that is typical to the UAE. Specimens generally come from the Mediterranean region, including Spain, Italy and Turkey, as well as Iran and Iraq – all fruit-producing countries, but with very different conditions and soil. Before planting, water the pot well, add compost to the planting hole and also water this. Gently tease out some of the ends of the roots on the root ball, to give the tree a head-start before planting it in its new home.
Then, as with all good gardening, sit back, watch and wait to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
weekend@thenational.ae
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Arrab, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mahaleel, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
3.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum handicap (TB) Dh200,000 2,000m; Winner: Dolmen, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Amang Alawda, Sandro Paiva, Bakhit Al Ketbi.
4.15pm: The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m; Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
4.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: Al Jazi, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
