As we move into September, thoughts in the northern hemisphere have turned towards autumnal days, golden leaves and harvests, as the days gradually become shorter and cooler. It's quite the opposite in the UAE, as we watch our gardens wake from a sweaty semi-slumber. As temperatures start to cool here, new shoots appear and it's time to spring into action and get busy in the garden.
Laura Allais-Maré, the founder of Slow Food Dubai, is at the vanguard of the UAE’s gardening and growing scene. While she says she’s not a horticulturalist, she’s taking a hands-on approach to sharing her knowledge of natural farming and permaculture, helping others develop their own skills through Slow Food Dubai and the Balcony and Urban Gardeners Group (Buggs) of the Middle East on Facebook.
“I believe passionately in getting people to take responsibility for where their food comes from and what they buy,” the South African says.
Slow Food Dubai is now managing a new community outreach project called The Urban Garden, with Time Hotels in Tecom, to encourage and teach people about growing their own herbs and vegetables in the challenging conditions of the UAE. Currently, 14 types of vegetables and herbs are to be found in the group’s nursery, and will be planted out by volunteers at the site in the next week or so.
To help get the planting season started, Allais-Maré offers a helpful run-through of what jobs the UAE’s balcony and urban gardeners should be tackling over the coming weeks.
Repotting
“I like to repot my plants once a year,” says Allais-Maré. “I take the plant out, remove a little bit of the old soil and plunge it into a bucket of water so it does not take in too much air on the root ball. This helps to prevent transplant shock while I get the new potting mixture ready. I used to do this with cypress trees in South Africa when we transplanted them, and I have never lost one.”
Allais-Maré uses a potting mix that consists of 50/50 sweet red sand and a good potting soil, with a bit of perlite and compost added. If the plant’s root system looks a little pot-bound, gently tease out the roots and loosen them before repotting to help the plant re-establish itself.
Feeding
“I feed just before the summer, and feed [in early September], because the plant is at its most stressed during the excessive heat, even when it is dormant and is just trying to survive,” Allais-Maré says.
“Start by loosening the soil around your plants in the ground. Get some good organic compost and animal manure, dig it in a few centimetres under the surface, being careful not to get too close to the roots, and water it in well. If you have a villa garden, you really don’t need to fill the entire plot with manure and feed. Focus instead on the particular areas that you know will be supporting planting.
“Animal manure is available from Warsan [in Dubai] and other markets for about Dh5 a bag. Ideally, you will get this a few weeks before you intend to use it, and leave it to bake in the sun a little to allow it to mature if it’s still a bit ‘fresh’.
“A more convenient manure solution can be found at Shalimar Bio Tech Industries, which sells 50-kilogram bags of vermicompost pellets. You dig them through just below the surface. Smaller bags are available at supermarkets for the balcony or container gardener.
“For an extra boost, try a compost tea [drained liquid from composted matter], but dilute it well, because if it is too strong you may overpower the root systems of the plant you are trying to nurture. Mix this with a little Epsom salts, which help to replace magnesium in the soil.
“Alternatively, you can add a few teaspoons of Epsom salts around each plant, every two or three weeks. In particular, use this on roses and lemon trees if you see their leaves turning yellow.
“A Bokashi bucket to create your own compost from kitchen waste can also be handy for the garden if you have the space.
Propagate and germinate
“Now is a good time to take new cuttings, which you can propagate, and get established before next summer sets in,” Allais-Maré says. “But the best part of autumn is that you can start germinating your own seeds indoors, and as soon as the night-time temperature is below 30°C for at least two days in a row, you can begin to plant them out in your garden.
“Remember to place seed trays indoors, close to a window that receives full sun, as the tinted glass common in UAE buildings cuts out much of the red and white light, and without proper light the growth will be spindly. Once the seedlings are around 3cm high, they should be ready to be placed outside, in full shade, until they are 10cm to 15cm high, when they can then be planted into containers or straight into the garden.”
Allais-Maré suggests that new gardeners experiment with basil, chillies, capsicums and tomatoes (look for heirloom varieties and a good seed) because all are hardy and will continue cropping right though to May. Malabar spinach is another staple, and if you have space, watermelons will thrive. Also try okra, rosemary, lettuce, rocket, borage, lemongrass, sweet potato and mint.
Once it is cool enough, The Urban Garden project will plant out seeds directly to ground in two-week waves across the season, to give a phased harvest and continuous cropping.
For vegetables, ideally plant heirloom and organic seeds if possible, although these can be difficult to source in the UAE. Try to avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and hybrids, as it is difficult to propagate seeds collected from these plants for the following season.
For flowers and colour, Allais-Maré favours portulacas, petunias, dianthus, pansies, alyssum, periwinkles, marigolds, lobelias and begonias, which she grows from seed (although you can buy a dozen plants for about Dh10 at the markets), as well as jasmine for its scent.
Pests and bugs
“You will notice that the bugs are now waking up too,” says Allais-Maré. “Take care to use organic pesticides wherever possible, particularly if you are intent on growing organic vegetables.”
To eliminate pests, Allais-Maré has developed her own brew, which incorporates 10 millilitres of neem oil mixed with 3 litres of water, and a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.”
“Shake this up and spray it on your plants, three or four times a week, ideally avoiding doing this during the heat of the day.”
Tools and supplies
Before the new season sets in, you’ll need to make sure you have all the necessary tools to get your garden back in shape. What tools you need will depend on the size of your plot, whether it’s a balcony or terrace space with containers, or a larger garden, but here are some basics to get you started.
A small hand trowel and hand fork are useful for managing pots and planting bedding plants directly in to the ground. A hand rake or a larger rake will be useful for clearing dead leaves from under shrubs and bushes, and also for smoothing turned-over ground before planting. Good-quality secateurs should, with care, last a lifetime, and are well worth the investment for clean pruning and general cutting back.
A watering can with a fine spray and/or a hand sprayer is convenient for keeping seedlings and pots watered, and for applying feed and organic pesticides that you have mixed yourself.
For larger gardens where plants are being set directly into the ground, a digging spade and fork are essential for turning soil and planting. A hoe is also useful for saving your back while trying to keep on top of weeds, and you may like to invest in a good pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands while working.
If your garden has larger stems and branches, tree loppers will earn their keep, and you may also wish to invest in a pair of garden shears for keeping hedges, creepers and larger shrubs in good shape.
For compost, plants and plant supplies, try Warsan (near Dragon Mart), the plant market near the Iranian Hospital in Dubai, and the Dubai Garden Centre, as well as the Plant Souk at Mina Port in Abu Dhabi, among others. Carrefour, Ace Hardware and Géant will also sell some garden supplies and seeds.
To learn more about growing your own food in Dubai, you can join the volunteers at The Urban Garden project, who are "all people who want to learn how to grow their own vegetables and make a difference". Details are available at www.slowfooddubai.org. For other gardening tips and troubleshooting, visit the Balcony and Urban Gardeners Group (Buggs) in the Middle East on Facebook.
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Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
Biography
Favourite book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Holiday choice: Anything Disney-related
Proudest achievement: Receiving a presidential award for foreign services.
Family: Wife and three children.
Like motto: You always get what you ask for, the universe listens.
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
England-South Africa Test series
1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
RESULTS
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayao%20Miyazaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Soma%20Santoki%2C%20Masaki%20Suda%2C%20Ko%20Shibasaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
ICC Intercontinental Cup
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (captain), Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Saqlain Haider, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Naveed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Boota, Amir Hayat, Ashfaq Ahmed
Fixtures Nov 29-Dec 2
UAE v Afghanistan, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Ireland v Scotland, Dubai International Stadium
Namibia v Netherlands, ICC Academy, Dubai
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
RESULTS
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Hugo Lebouc (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Karaginsky, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Sadeedd, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.
3pm Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Blue Sovereign, Clement Lecoeuvre, Erwan Charpy.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Bladesmith, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
UAE-based players
Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
