Who thinks about watering their plants in the winter? We do because we are tree and shrub experts. This is the time of year to learn about winter watering. Deciduous trees and shrubs that drop their leaves in the fall, don’t transpire much water during the winter. Evergreens, on the other hand, do. This means they may need water when Mother Nature doesn’t provide enough.
How Do I Know My Evergreens Need to be Watered?
Evergreens don’t show signs of drought easily. Even losing their needles is normal because they do go through an annual needle drop. But, because we know they are transpiring through the winter, we know they are at risk for stressing from drought.
When our trees go without a source of water, especially on warm windy days, they need almost as much water as they do in the summer. A good rule of thumb is, if the ground isn’t frozen and we’ve gone without any precipitation for a week, evergreens need to be watered.
How Do I Water My Trees?
Evergreens transpire slowly over the winter months. But when the ground begins to thaw on warm winter days, they begin to speed up. Usually, precipitation would provide them with the water they need. If this is not available, you can help them with a slow trickle from a garden hose. This should be done in the middle of the day when temperatures are over 40. Don’t forget to unhook your hose and drain it afterwards so nothing freezes and breaks when the temps drop again!
For more information, contact a Lawn Coach today!
