Archive Tip of the Week
TIP OF THE MONTH
December 2009
Keep Those Hoses Handy
Every year at about this time, some garden writer offers advice on how to prepare the garden for winter. And for the most part, the information presented is solid, if not a tad predictable. But invariably there’s one suggestion that I simply don’t agree with. It’s the one that says you should coil and store your hoses, as if to say you won’t need them again until spring.
Sure, you should disconnect your hoses from the faucets if you live in an area where temperatures drop well below freezing to prevent your pipes from bursting. But the idea that you won’t need to water certain plants until spring is crazy.
Case in point: Evergreens. One of the quickest ways to kill broadleaf and needle evergreens is to subject them to the dangerous combination of dry and cold weather.
Unlike deciduous plants, evergreens don’t go fully dormant in winter. Their metabolic rate slows to a snail’s pace, but they continue to photosynthesize and respire. As a result, they continue to need moisture. Without it, they may not survive the winter.
Ideally, you should give all your plants a thorough soaking before winter sets in. But you should continue to water your evergreens during the winter, preferably every two weeks or so unless rains do the job for you. Throughout much of the country, there are periods during the winter months when temperatures climb above freezing for at least a day or two, and that’s when you should drag out your hose and water your evergreens. In areas where heavy snows are the norm, it pays to water well before the snow arrives. Once the ground is covered with snow, your evergreens will be fine. Snow is, after all, an excellent insulator, capable of maintaining soil temperatures at or slightly above freezing regardless of the ambient air temperature. (Of course, the weight of snow on evergreens can cause considerable damage, but that’s another story.)
So please take care of your evergreens this winter. After all, they can brighten the winter garden with their colors, shapes, and textures in ways no other plant group can.
