Water trees, shrubs, lawns, and perennials during prolonged dry fall and winter periods to prevent root damage that affects the health of the entire plant. Water only when air and soil temperatures are above 40 degrees F with no snow cover.
1. General Watering Timeline: If you haven't received precipitation in winter, it's crucial to water your plants. With dry weather, once a month winter watering is suggested. If the dry weather continues, you may need to go to twice-monthly watering.
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.
Choose days when no snow is on the ground and the soil isn't frozen. In cold weather, water should be trickled slowly into the soil. Water only when air temperatures are above 40 degrees F.
It might sound counterintuitive, but most indoor plants need less water during the winter. While it's true that winter air is drier, plants experience a slower rate of growth during colder months; some even go completely dormant. Therefore, plants need less water to keep hydrated, and overwatering can lead to root rot.
Avoid watering when temperatures are below 40°F or when sustained freezing temperatures are expected within 24 hours as this water will freeze and not be available to the plants.
If the soil is dry and the cold front is not preceded by rainfall, water the landscape before the freeze. Watering 24 to 48 hours before the freeze will elevate the night temperatures by 2 degrees. Don't overdo it. A soggy soil is not healthy for plant roots and will create root disease problems down the line.
For larger shrubs, drive a few stakes into the ground around the plant in fall. Wrap the stakes with burlap or canvas cloth. Never use plastic; it can cause damaging temperature fluctuations. For smaller shrubs, a plant cover is a simple solution.
To protect shrubs from snow damage, tie up branches with jute twine. For new plantings, wrap the shrub in burlap and tie with twine for protection from both wind and snow.
During the growing season, do not over-water. When you water, soak the soil approximately 12 inches deep. Wet the entire root area, which extends out to as much as three times the limb spread. Newly transplanted trees and shrubs need water more often than established ones.
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.
Winter is usually the best time.
Dormant pruning is usually done in late winter, six to 10 weeks before the average last frost in your area. You can prune shrubs at any time of year if it's necessary—for example, to remove broken branches or dead or diseased wood, or to remove growth that is obstructing a walkway.
Summer flowering shrubs should be pruned in late winter or early spring. This still gives them time to set flowers for the following year. Deciduous shrubs that aren't grown for flowers can be trimmed back at the same time.
As winter progresses, the ground freezes and the sun and wind evaporate more water from the leaves or needles than the plant can uptake to replace it, and the plant gradually turns from green to brown, bronze, or even orange or purple.
The easiest way to protect from a freeze is simply by covering plants with a sheet or a blanket. This acts like insulation, keeping warm air from the ground around the plant.
Cover With A Burlap Sack
Burlap sacks aren't the prettiest things to look at, but they offer great protection to your shrubs. They provide the best protection against cold, high winds and will even keep deer from getting to your shrubs.
Answer: Newly emerged tree and shrub foliage is susceptible to damage from below freezing temperatures. The new growth on many trees and shrubs can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s and upper 20s. Freeze damage is most likely when temperatures drop into the middle 20s or below.
Keep watering trees on a regular schedule through the fall and until the ground begins to freeze (usually late October or November). Once the ground freezes, continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the winter months.
It can be tricky choosing when is the best time to water plants in winter. Avoid watering early in the morning or late at night, keeping to the middle of the day wherever possible as the soil around plants should be dry at night.
Thoroughly Water plants if it's not going to rain before the freezing temperatures arrive. It may sound illogical. However, a moist ground stays warmer than dry soil. Watering the night before the freeze comes will insulate the root structure of the grass and plants and decreases the potential for cold injury.
Farmers spray water before an overnight freeze because water produces latent heat when it freezes. The sprayed water on the surface of the plant will be converted to ice, and the heat trapped in it will insulate the plant from the cold environment.
Established trees have a larger root zone and so may be able to draw enough water from the surrounding soil. But newly planted and transplanted trees and shrubs will need extra watering throughout the cold winter months. And conifers, which retain their needles during winter, will also need regular water.