Take
a look outside -- do things look a little dry? If so, you may have
trees and shrubs that need a good drink of water right about now.
Dry, open winters
take a heavy toll on plant moisture. Plants that suffer from winter
desiccation will show die-back of branches and needles and look pretty
rough in a few months.
Evergreen foundation
plantings like juniper are especially prone to winter desiccation, and
even more so if they're planted in areas with a southern exposure.
These types of plants can lose a lot of water through the winter
because they are still carrying on the evapotransporation process,
while the deciduous trees are in dormancy.
During winter thaws though,
deciduous trees may break dormancy and need additional water too.
Water trees and
shrubs only when the outside temperatures get above freezing. Let the
water run slowly so it thoroughly soaks the root zone. Your trees and
shrubs will thank you by getting a good start come spring!
