Should you water trees and shrubs in the winter? It depends. There are times you should water and there are others when you shouldn’t.
No, DirtFarmerJay isn’t being “wishy-washy.” Watering (or not) really does depend on a few factors. Once you know these factors, you can know whether it’s a good idea to water or not.
The FIRST thing you need to know is that root development is a YEAR-ROUND activity, even in climes where it freezes during the winter months. If the ground is not frozen, many trees and shrubs continue root activity that is critical to the overall growth and health of the plant. While the top is dormant, the root system continues to grow main structures (for anchorage and more area for moisture and nutrient acquisition), as well as root hair development. These root hairs exponentially increase root surface area needed for ongoing growth and longevity.
NEXT, you need to know that temperature greatly affects the need for water. And, it’s soil, not air, temperature we’re talking about. There is always a difference between the two. Soil temps generally lag in air temperature trends. That is, if the temperature is dropping over several weeks, the soil will take longer to reach those lower temps. The inverse is true as well. As the air warms up in the spring, the soil will take time to get to favorable planting and growing temps.
To measure soil temps, you can buy an inexpensive soil thermometer. Here’s a sample of an inexpensive (around $8 at the time of filming) soil thermometer that is available at Tractor Supply Company locations in the U.S.:
www.tractorsup...
Practically speaking, if the soil is 40°F/4-5°C or more, and the soil is not moist to a depth of 12”/30cm, then watering can be a benefit and you should consider doing it. If the soil is below that temperature, don’t. It won’t do much if any, good. Also, if there’s good snow cover or thick mulch at the base of the tree, or there have been recent rains, you can delay watering.
THEN, you need to know what kinds of trees are at the greatest risk for not having enough wintertime water. No matter what variety of planting, recent and new transplants are highly susceptible to drought. That’s because they haven’t had sufficient time to develop their root system. So, they need supplemental water. Come springtime, you’ll be glad you made the effort.
Evergreens are at risk for desiccation. This is when the root system cannot harvest enough moisture and nutrients to sustain the metabolism of the tree. Because true evergreens are active both above and below the soil level, more water is needed. Add to this that many evergreen plantings do not mimic nature (being planted in stands with lots of needle covering on the ground), and you may have trouble. Stands of trees act as windbreaks, provide shading, and retain moisture better (both in-ground and tree surface). Place these trees in solitary plantings, with wind exposure and no or very little ground cover, and you’ve put your tree in a very unpleasant situation usually resulting in desiccation. When that happens, the most exposed portion of the tree or to ongoing southern sunlight starts to die back, beginning at the tips of the branches and working back to the trunk. You know this has happened come warm weather and those brown areas don’t rejuvenate.
Even for deciduous trees that have dropped all their leaves, if the weather is warm, soil temps are up, and there hasn’t been much moisture lately, a drink of water can go a long way in protecting your yardscape investment and getting beautiful results in later when the warm weather returns. Cold air cannot hold much moisture, so humidity will be quite low. So it’s up to you to make up the difference when warranted.
The water or not to water, that is the question. And now, you know the answer and you can JUST DO IT YOURSELF!
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