Greetings!
LandCrafts would like to remind our neighbors around Denver, Colorado that we have been experiencing another dry winter. That being said, even in more moist years the beautiful landscapes around our homes are craving water! Luckily there are some simple steps to ensure new and established plantings can thrive in our cool, dry, and invigorating climate. We Coloradoans pay particular attention to the weather in the winter, with most attention going to the snow storms. However, we recommend highlighting the warm spells in your calendars/planners (google calendar works great for us!) in order to establish a winter watering routine from October through March. Anytime there is no snow on the ground and the average forecasted air and soil temperatures are 40 degrees and up is ideal time to winter water. Water at mid day to allow for proper absorption and to avoid freezing over night. We believe the easiest way to apply water to your plants in the winter is with a garden hose and soaker hoses. Remember to unscrew the hose from the outside spigot after watering! Trees prefer a slow trickle so set the hose at the base of the tree, or soaker hose around the base for a few minutes to allow for an adequate amount of water and then move on. Look for the warm spells where we are treated to the 50's and 60's for a few days and mark it your calendars, its watering winter day!
New Plantings:
Shrubs- 5 gallons of water 2 times monthly for shrubs 3' and under. 10 gallons for shrubs 6' and above.
Trees- Apply 10 gallons of water for each diameter inch of the tree 2 times monthly. For example, a 2-inch diameter tree needs 20 gallons per watering.
Perennials- Water late planted perennials and perennials planted in exposed locations (sunny/windy).
Sod- If started within the last year, lawns are especially susceptible to winter desiccation, which is marked by the extreme drying in the the soil in or around the root zones and leads to death of the plant. Colorado landscapes which experience open, dry winters are more prone to winter grass mites and desiccation if periodic winter irrigation is not applied. *The use of any under ground sprinkler system in the winter is not recommended, manual sprinklers only*
Established Plantings:
Shrubs- Water 5 gallons monthly for shrubs 3' and under. 10 gallons for shrubs 6' and above.
Trees- Apply 10 gallons of water for each diameter inch of the tree monthly.
Perennials- Water perennials planted in exposed locations (sunny/windy).
Sod- Winter watering may not be necessary for established lawns.
Useful links:
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/
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