Winter Watering

It is that time of year again when you store away your barbecue grills, sun umbrellas, and rubber hoses in preparation for the cold months of winter. Have you thought about what our winter weather has in store for us in the form of precipitation? We’re no meteorologists over here, but we’ve heard anywhere from 13-24 inches of snow predicted for the 2017-2018 winter. Did you know that on average it takes 13 inches of snow to equal one inch of rain? If we only get the low end of predicted snow this winter, we may only see one inch of precipitation for the entire winter season. One inch is not enough to support the health of our trees.

Deciduous trees are dormant (leafless) this time of year, so they need less water than during warm summer months. Even evergreen trees (those that stay green all year) slow down their processes during the colder winter months resulting in less water requirements. With all this true, the root system of the trees still need moisture! Anyone who has lived in the metro for multiple winters knows we have periodic unseasonably warm days, where temperatures rise above freezing during the day. On those days, hook your hose back up and give your new and young trees a good soak during the warmest part of the day. Make sure to unhook your hose before temperatures fall below freezing again. On average, trees need 1-1.5 inches of moisture every month during the winter, so we cannot rely on Mother Nature to provide enough water for our trees over the winter.

Enjoy winter with your family and friends, but if we don’t get those snow days, remember to take care of the trees that will provide you shade all summer long!