Water your trees. Trees that are well hydrated going into the winter are better able to tolerate the cold and dry air of winter. Loss of water through transpiration is the number one reason why conifers (such as spruce, arborvitae, and cedar) get winter burn. Deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) are also susceptible to winter drying and injury likes frost cracking. These issues are compounded by trees with dry roots, especially when we get cold temperatures and there is no snow cover to hold in the warmth of the earth and provide moisture.
Set your soaker hoses out about 2-3 feet away from the trunk of the tree and let it soak into the soil for a good 2-3 hour stretch. If you have in ground irrigation, let it run for an extra 30 minutes in areas where you have trees so the water can soak below the roots of the grass and get down to where the trees can get to it. If you want to go old school, put your hose end sprinkler out (try to keep the water from hitting the trunk of the tree) and use an old coffee can and a ruler to make sure you are getting 2″ of water out on the area around your tree. If none of these options are viable, give Grade- A Tree Care call and we’ll help develop an irrigation routine for you that will fit your individual trees needs.
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