In many of the UAE's parks, the lawns have been covered with a generous mixture of sand and aromatic organic matter designed to replace nutrients and improve the overall health of the grass.
In many of the UAE's parks, the lawns have been covered with a generous mixture of sand and aromatic organic matter designed to replace nutrients and improve the overall health of the grass.

Nick's Garden: give your lawn a spa treatment



Equivalent to a spa treatment for grass, this simple and inexpensive process improves soil quality and encourages healthy growth, writes Nick Leech

Finding the perfect spot for your picnic blanket is never easy, particularly if you're looking for a space that has just the right amount of shade, space and privacy for your family and friends in one of Abu Dhabi's busy family parks at the weekend.

Normally the main issue is that everybody else has turned up with exactly the same idea but in recent weeks this quest has been made all the more difficult because most lawns have been covered with a generous mixture of sand and aromatic organic matter that displays an almost magnetic attraction to the hands, feet and mouths of smaller picnickers.

The cause of this added complexity is a landscape maintenance procedure known as top dressing, a process that will be familiar to anybody who has spent time around golf courses and sports pitches but one that is employed less often by domestic gardeners.

But since the professionals are currently doing it, why not consider applying a similar treatment at home? Just think of it as a well-deserved and much-needed spa treatment for the lawn.

Top dressing is designed to achieve several things: to improve the quality of the soil and its structure, to encourage healthy growth by creating optimum conditions in the root zone, to improve drainage while removing weeds and moss and to smooth out any unevenness that may have developed in the lawn over time.

Top dressing will also help to compensate for the loss of nutrients that often results from the use of chemical fertilisers and, more commonly in the UAE, from leaching caused by overwatering. Most importantly, by improving soil structure and allowing both water and roots to penetrate deeper into the soil, top dressing can also help to improve drought tolerance, words not often associated with lawn turf. It's not a bad list of outcomes for what is, after all, a very simple and inexpensive process.

In the UAE, top dressing can take place at any time from November onwards and is best done when the grass is already growing and when there is still time for several cuts before the heat starts to take its toll.

An important issue to consider at the outset is whether you are top dressing primarily to even out a lumpy, heavily compacted lawn that has suffered from neglect and heavy traffic or whether you are aiming for healthier, more organic turf. If levelling is your goal, then you'll need to invest in a dressing that combines sharp sand with topsoil or loam. However, if you're after a general pick-me-up, then you should consider replacing the topsoil with well-composted organic material.

Before applying anything, you will need to work out how much dressing you'll need. To do this, measure your lawn and multiply its area by .01 (this allows for a 1cm covering). Then, the day before applying the mix, cut your grass to reduce the amount of dressing required to cover it. Not only will it cost more, but a thicker layer of dressing will make it harder for the grass underneath to emerge.

After mowing, rake to remove any unwanted debris and loosen any bare patches. Make sure your lawn is moist to work with before aerating it, ideally with a hollow-cored aerating tool. This will create channels in the soil that will allow air to penetrate it freely and circulate through the grass's root zone. Many people use a garden fork at this stage but this often leads to even greater compaction, the exact opposite of the effect you are trying to achieve. Once this is done, you are ready to apply the dressing.

The easiest way to spread top dressing is to start by shovelling it evenly over your lawn. Once the lawn is completely covered, don't rush in to level it off, but give it a couple of hours to dry instead. This will allow you to rub the mix in more effectively and you will be able to fill up holes rather than smoothing wet soil over the top.

Once it has dried, use a stiff broom or the back of a rake to work the dressing in, making sure you achieve an even spread. This can be done in any direction, just as long as you go over the whole lawn and pick up any excess with a shovel. The grass should still show through the dressing.

For low spots requiring more than a couple of inches of top dressing, existing turf should be lifted and, after filling, be replaced or the area should be re-seeded. In my experience a good top dressing mixture does some settling, so now water the area well and let the mixture settle for a day or two before going back to smooth out any new hollows or bumps that may have developed in the interim.

Kibsons%20Cares
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

if you go

The flights

Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes. 

The hotels 

The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).

How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.

Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Rooney's club record

At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17

At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENomad%20Homes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHelen%20Chen%2C%20Damien%20Drap%2C%20and%20Dan%20Piehler%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20and%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2444m%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Acrew%20Capital%2C%2001%20Advisors%2C%20HighSage%20Ventures%2C%20Abstract%20Ventures%2C%20Partech%2C%20Precursor%20Ventures%2C%20Potluck%20Ventures%2C%20Knollwood%20and%20several%20undisclosed%20hedge%20funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.