winter. We put away our bathing suits, beach towels and shut down our pool. We
winterize our lawn mower and get our snow blowers tuned up.
That being said – should your garden hose also follow?
to weather getting hot and leading to long, dry periods where plants aren’t getting
enough water. Believe it or not – it can get just as dry in the winter and when roots
get packed under too much snow and ice – they can get really thirsty.
Watering your plants before the cold sets in is a way of helping them prepare for the
winter, but too much and watering can do far more harm than good.
So what gives? When’s enough, enough? When’s it time to put away the hose?
When to stop watering trees
If it’s dry and hasn’t rained for a long, long time – it’s advisable to keep watering
your trees until there’s something resembling precipitation. Keep doing so until the
ground freezes – which will likely happen sometime in late October or November. If
you’re further south, you might not have to deal with it until December, if you do at
all.
Keep watering your plants until the temperature hits around 30 degrees for an
extended period of time. And feel free to water your trees throughout the winter if
you’re in a warmer weather area of the country. Just make sure do it ONLY if the
temperature is over 40 degrees. Don’t tempt fate if the temperature is lower.
The other thing to keep in mind is if you’re going to water in cooler temperatures -
that you water earlier in the morning. That way the soil has all day to soak up the
water before the temperature plunges and freezes overnight.
Prepping for the winter seems fairly straight forward – and for the most part it is.
But it’s nuancy stuff like this that can present some challenges. If you’re unsure of
how to prepare your lawn for the winter, feel free to call us and we can give you a
free consultation, and also provide more information about plant health care programs for landscapers . Good luck!