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Winter Watering Tips

winter landscape bushes photoMost homeowners don’t think about watering their trees and shrubs in the winter. But at Custom Lawn & Landscape, our tree and shrub care team knows watering is critical during the winter for plant health. Yes, plants and shrubs get some water from rain and/or melting snow, but they need more than nature provides. Root damage can occur if trees and shrubs aren’t watered enough in the winter. This affects the overall health of the tree. Evergreens especially need watering because they retain their needles all year round. Fluctuating temperatures, dry air, windy conditions, intense winter sun all contribute to tree and shrub dessication. By late winter, if they haven’t received enough water, they can transpire. They become very dry and brittle. If they suffer too much, the needles can turn red or brown from sun scorch. Sun scorch usually occurs on the west and south side of the trees where the trees are subject to intense winter sun. To prevent desiccation or even sun scorch, make sure these trees and shrubs get watered. Custom Lawn has assembled a Winter Water Guide below with handy tips on how to water, how often, and how much. Feel free to print this guide out and tack it to your refrigerator as a handy reminder.

Custom Lawn’s Winter Watering Guide

  • Water only when air and soil temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and there is no snow on the ground. If you water when it’s too cold, the water will freeze on the surface and can cause suffocation of the grass below if there for a month of more.
  • The roots of large trees have a root spread equal to the height of the tree, (or two times the diameter of the tree) so apply water to the entire area within the dripline and around the base.
  • Apply water at mid-day so it will have time to soak in before the temperature drops at night and possibly freezes the soil.
  • Don’t forget to water in March and April when new roots are forming.
  • Mulch your plants to help them retain water.
  • Newly planted shrubs require more water than established plants (at least one year old).
  • Pay special attention to evergreens because they keep their needles all winter.
  • Pay special attention to trees and shrubs on west and south sides of your home. These trees are victims of intense winter sun and can experience sun scorch if not watered enough.
  • Trees obtain water best when it is allowed to soak into the soil slowly to a depth of 12 inches.
  • Sprinklers, deep-root fork or needle, soaker hose or soft spray wands are all acceptable methods for watering. If using a deep-root fork or needle, insert no deeper than 8 inches into the soil.
  • A good rule of thumb is to apply 10 gallons of water for each inch the tree is in diameter. For example, a two-inch diameter tree needs 20 gallons per watering.

How Much Water Is Enough?

In the winter, all shrubs benefit from watering from October through March.

New shrubs – apply 5 gallons two times per month.

Small (3 feet or smaller) established shrubs – apply 5 gallons every month.

Large (6 feet or taller) established shrubs – apply 18 gallons every month.

Decrease amounts if it has rained recently.

Remember to Water

The tricky thing about winter watering is that the plants usually look fine (excluding sun scorch), but the damage isn’t obvious until the next summer. The injury is to the root system, so affected plants may appear fine and probably will even resume normal growth patterns in the early spring. But plants whose root system was damaged will die in late spring or early summer when temperature rise and the plant is under stress. Additionally, weakened plants are also more susceptible to insects and diseases. Remember to water those trees and shrubs this winter and they will reward you with healthier growth and bigger blooms this summer!

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The Custom Lawn Advantage

  • Your Personal Technician has a college degree, is experienced, and is your trusted advisor.
  • Environmentally Responsible Approach - Our top concerns are you and your family’s safety & the long term health of our beautiful planet.
  • Always available with a friendly voice.
  • Our goal is to always provide honest advice & real solutions to our customers.
  • We provide full service-residential & commercial lawn care, mowing, & irrigation services. We also maintain your trees, shrubs and landscape.
  • Locally owned by the same family since 1981.

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    Cole is on top of his game and friendly!
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    Michele Schwab
    We are absolutely thrilled with the results of Cole Jensen's work from Custom Lawn! Throughout the year, Cole has diligently applied fertilizer to our lawn. Our lawn is lush, green, and immaculate, standing out beautifully compared to our neighbors' yards, which are plagued with weeds and dandelions. Cole's expertise and dedication have truly made a difference, and we couldn't be happier with the service provided. Thank you, Cole, for giving us a lawn we can be proud of!
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    CWO.
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    I AM SO HAPPY WITH CUSTOM LAWN AND LANDSCAPE! MY GRASS WAS 2 FT TALL. NOW MY YARD IS SO BEAUTIFUL. THANKS TO TROY AND SAM. THANKS TO FRANCISCO AND JOSE P. YOU ALL ARE WONDERFUL FOLKS. YOU GUYS ARE 10 STARS IN MY BOOK. THANKS AGAIN!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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    Sean O’ Dwyer has been taking care of our yard for the past several seasons and it is always immaculate because of the work he does. I never have to worry about weeds, sparse grass or anything. He is always detailed about what he does! Thank you Sean
    Our technician, Sean O’Dwyer, has done a great job on our lawn! I appreciate the advance notice that our yard will be serviced and he takes great care that our dogs don’t escape!
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    We love custom lawn and landscape. They have great technicians but our favorite is Cole Jensen. He proactively communicates with us what day he will be coming. He always gives us great feedback on the condition of our lawn and information about each application he applies. He is kind and easy to work with!
    Michele Schwab
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    We are absolutely thrilled with the results of Cole Jensen's work from Custom Lawn! Throughout the year, Cole has diligently applied fertilizer to our lawn. Our lawn is lush, green, and immaculate, standing out beautifully compared to our neighbors' yards, which are plagued with weeds and dandelions. Cole's expertise and dedication have truly made a difference, and we couldn't be happier with the service provided. Thank you, Cole, for giving us a lawn we can be proud of!
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