It is easy to forget that your landscape needs water in the winter, but it is vital to reducing Winter Drought Stress symptoms.
All of your trees, shrubs, perennials, and even your lawn needs periodic moisture Throughout the winter to prevent desiccation, but it is especially important to water your trees.
When to Water Your Trees/Shrubs
If your landscape has an automatic irrigation system, it is most likely running May through October; therefore, there are five months out of the year that we must commit to manually watering our landscapes.
It is ideal to water every 4- 6 weeks throughout the winter season; but it is especially important to water during the months November, March, and April.
The more plants you can water the better; but initially focus your efforts on young trees, evergreen trees, and evergreen shrubs
Young Trees
Young trees don’t have a robust root system yet, so they require more frequent watering while they establish themselves, which includes watering them in the wintertime.
Evergreen Trees & Shrubs
Evergreens never stop losing water through their needles, so they are very prone to Winter Drought Stress and Desiccation Evergreen trees and shrubs should be a top priority when deciding how triage your Winter Watering needs.
How Much Water Do Your Trees Need and What to Use
Your trees need 5 – 10 gallons of water per inch diameter of their trunks. They need this every 4 – 6 weeks. You do not need to use a watering probe or watering fork; the preferred method is to water your trees with a soaker hose and showering wand. The fine root hairs which uptake all of the water, only grow in the upper 6 – 12 inches of the soil; that is why it is important to water from the soil surface with a showering wand. ‘Deep Root Watering Probes’ often miss roots within the upper, critical root zone.
Additional Watering Tips
If possible, water throughout the driplines of your trees. There are some fine, absorbing root hairs right around the trunks of the trees, but watering efforts should also include areas around the driplines, where the majority of root hairs are located.
Water slowly to reduce run-off. Water deeply and infrequently. This helps your trees become more resilient to drought stress. It is best to water once or twice per month, then do shallow waterings once per week. Avoid soil compaction when watering; a showering wand hel[ps reduce soil compaction. Water when temperatures will reach approximately 40 degrees.
In general, water your trees five minutes for every inch of trunk diameter in the winter; and do this once or twice per month in November through March. This means that if you have a two-inch diameter tree, you will water that tree for 10 minutes. And if you have a ten inch diameter tree, you will water that tree for 50 minutes. ( https://www.fcgov.com/forestry/winter-water.php )
For Tree Care in Fort Collins, contact us today!
