Watering Trees In The Fall And Winter

Richland County remains in a severe drought as we enter the month of November. With little fall precipitation and warm temperatures, it is important to continue to water your trees. Lack of water can cause roots to be damaged, even weakening or killing the tree. Specifically, evergreen trees will continue to lose moisture through their needles as they transpire.

Trees, both deciduous and evergreen, should be watered throughout the fall and winter when the temperature is above 40 and when the ground isn’t frozen or there isn’t snow cover. The best time to water is mid-day so the water has time to soak into the soil before possible freezing. A general rule of thumb is to apply 10 gallons of water per inch of tree diameter. For example, a tree that is two inches in diameter would need 20 gallons of water.

If you have any questions, please contact the Richland County Extension Office at 406-433-1206 or [email protected].

 

Reader Comments(0)