Should You Water Your Trees In Winter?

Should You Water Your Trees In Winter?

07 Jan

Winter is the time for dormancy. Still a great time Frederick, Md. Stump grinding done. Most of nature sleeps through this time of year and growth is minimal. We know that it is essential to water our trees in the spring and summer, but what about in winter? What should we be doing for our trees?

Out in nature, trees only receive water when it rains, so if there is no rain in winter, they are not watered. Some years there may only be snow and not a whole pile of rain. Are the trees in our garden any different to those in nature? Should we water them in winter?

Let’s take a closer look at this to see exactly how we should tackle this issue.

Do Trees Do Anything In The Winter?

It might be easy to think that once the trees have dropped all their leaves in the fall, then they simply sleep all the way through winter until they awaken in springtime. However, it is not quite so simple. The decrease in temperature that we experience in fall causes the roots to stop delivering nutrients to the canopy. This is why deciduous trees shed their leaves at this time of year. Trees species that keep their leaves or evergreens, reverse the nutrient delivery direction and they send nutrients down to the roots for storage. In the winter, the roots might still be growing, depending on the temperature even if the canopy of the tree is not. What this means is that you should still water those mature trees right up until the first freeze.

Younger Trees

A young tree is one that you have planted in the previous three years. Because their roots will not yet have become as deep as the mature trees, you need to maintain regular watering. A monthly deep water will ensure that the water gets all the way down to the roots.

Think about applying a layer of mulch to keep the ground slightly warmer and to prevent water loss. Remember not to let the mulch have contact with the trunk to prevent excess damp issues with the bark.

Fruit Trees

We expect more from our fruit trees than other types of trees because they are not purely for aesthetics. They require regular watering all year round. Like the young trees, a deep watering every two weeks will keep them healthy and ready for spring coming. Do not let the water pool around the roots though, as this will block the oxygen from getting to them.

Plan Your Schedule

It is easy to think that we do not need to water our trees in the winter, but this is dependent on many factors. If there is a lot of rainfall and the temperatures are above freezing then, of course, we do not need to think about watering. However, if the opposite is true, we need to think about how to help our trees to survive. Maintaining a watering schedule throughout winter and performing Frederick, Md. Stump grinding will mean that your trees make it through to spring happy and healthy.