Drought conditions in the late fall, along with dry air and low soil moisture, can lead to plant damage if no supplemental water is provided. “If soil is dry, homeowners should consider watering their trees and shrubs this fall and winter,” says Gemini Bhalsod, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
Water trees even when dormant. Water about 5 gallons per trunk diameter inch. Stop watering when the ground freezes or temperatures dip below freezing.
To help your trees and other plants survive this dry year and prepare for the next, water them as long as you can in fall — into November if possible, or until the ground freezes. Long, slow watering is best. Give the water plenty of time to soak in.
When To Stop Watering Plants in Fall. When the air and soil temperatures consistently fall below 40 F, it's time to stop watering. The ground can't absorb water once the top few inches freeze. Continue to water your plants up until this point so they're as well-hydrated as possible going into winter.
Fall and Winter: During the dormant season when the leaves are off the trees, your newly planted tree needs much less water. Only 5-10 minutes of watering a few times a week when the temperature is over 40 degrees. If the temperature is under 40 degrees no watering is necessary.
You should water in the winter when it is above 40 degrees and when there is no snow cover. Watering your trees is essential during dry periods in the fall, winter, and early spring, when you aren't watering your lawn.
Make sure to watch the temperature outside, you do not want to water your trees in temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and there is no snow or ice near the tree. If the temperature is below freezing, not only will these cause issues with your sprinkler system, but they can cause damage to your tree's roots.
Water Wisely
Most lawns need to be watered no more than three days a week in the spring as well as in the summer and two days a week in the fall.
To support plants through this season of transition, make sure they get adequate water until the ground freezes. This is especially important if the summer season has been hot and dry, and for newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials. In fall, plants do not need as much water as they may have needed in summer.
During a summer afternoon, up to half of the water can be lost to evaporation. The best time to water is in the morning or evening, so the roots have a chance to absorb most of the water.
The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening.
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
Remember that winter temperatures, even when above freezing, are still cool enough that water evaporation into the air is happening much more slowly than it does in the growing season. Too much water in the soil can also encourage the growth of soil fungus and bacteria that aren't beneficial and can damage trees.
Get a pinch of dirt (be sure that it is dirt and not mulch) and roll it around between your fingers. If it sticks together, there is enough moisture. If it is dry and crumbly, it is time to water. If it is muddy and hard to grasp, the area is receiving too much water.
A thorough watering twice a month during mid-late fall should be sufficient for most soils, though if you have slow-draining clay or rocky soils, you may find that just once a month is enough.
To water or not to water? There is some discrepancy on whether or not you should water your lawn right after fertilizing. Our recommendation is to feel free to water in lightly without soaking your lawn, or simply wait until later in the week when you're expecting some rainfall.
While the best method for determining exactly how much fertilizer is needed is a soil analysis conducted by a laboratory, most cool-season grasses require 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet each year, and a majority of this nitrogen should be applied in two fall applications; one in September and the other ...
Dormant trees do not require regular watering compared to the growing season. It would help if you watered your trees one or two times in a month when there is minimal snow coverage or none at all until they begin to leaf out during spring. If your area is very windy, your trees need more water.
It is best to slowly give any newly planted trees 10-15 gallons of water before putting the hose away for the winter and to supplement with 10-15 gallons of water during dry periods and when temperatures are above 40 degrees. Do not water when temperatures are near or below freezing.
But pine trees don't lose their needles like other types of trees in the wintertime. So, they'll need regular watering in the winter as well. It's important that you water these trees anytime that the temperature is above fifty degrees during the wintertime.
Species such as linden, maple, ginkgo, crabapple and redbud will benefit from tree wrap. Trees with thick, corky bark, like bur oak, do not need to be wrapped. Sunscald is also known as “southwest injury” since it tends to occur on the south or southwest side of the tree.