Here is a reminder to water your evergreens and sensitive plants this winter, though we have received some good moisture recently wind storms like the one on December 17th, 2012 dry out the soil and foliage of a plant.
Why water in winter?
Plants that have spike or sharp needles are adapted to winters in dry climates and don't need water however your broad leaf Magnolias, Rhododendrons, Euonymus, Japanese Maples do best if the soil is moist year round. Hydration is good for our bodies to function and so it is for plants. It keeps their foliage from damaging. Too dry your needle and leaf tips dry out and begin to die back (desiccate). To much die back leads to defoliation and eventually death. This is why some plants don't make it through winter when newly planted during the previous year! Definitely check the newly planted evergreen shrubs and any plant listed the pdf list I have prepared.
How often should I be watering in the winter?
First off you should check soil moisture on evergreens and select deciduous plants (see pdf list at the bottom of this article) every 4 weeks. If we have had measurable rain or snow fall the ground will be moist several inches down hopefully 12. This means that plants roots have access to water. If it has been dry (no rain or snow but a lot of wind) and the soil refuses to pack in your hand, its dry. If the soil is dry then you need to add water to keep the plant properly hydrated.
How to water your plant
(s) in winter and how much?
Watering in the winter is similar to how you would in spring or fall but really it a lot less frequent. For trees, hedge lines, and flower beds its easier to take a hose out and water with a sprinkler for an hour or so to soak up the area. For areas with just a few plants you can water by hand with the hose or use a bucket. We shoot for about 2 gallons of water per foot of height on shrubs and trees. A bucket works but a hose with a pressure breaker is less trips. Just see how long it takes to fill a one-gallon milk jug with a hose by counting 1001, 1002, 1003 and etc. until its full. This way you know how long it will take to stand there and water the plant, its allotment of water. Personally I like the sprinkler on a hose with a timer on a cell phone.
What plants should I be watering?
You should be watering any evergreens that were planted during the last growing season especially the broadleaf evergreens and softer needled ones. Here is a list of plants that do best with a drink of water in the winter. It also includes some deciduous ones that fair better with a drink as well.
Watering in the Winter (pdf)
Color is hard to have when the skies are grey, it gets dark early and the flowers are gone. It can be kinda dull, here are a few ideas to liven up the yard for winter and serve as back drops to your flowering plants during the growing season. The plant ideas are separated by color, most plant families listed have many different varieties that will work in many landscape situations.
