Should I Water During a Winter Warm Spell?

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaLighting and IrrigationPlant Health Care
Written By Peter Morris

Should I Water ?

Bottom line - MAYBE !

A warm winter day is any that is over 60* F - between December and February.  But whether you should water or not will depend a lot on a few things.

The first is to determine how dry the soil is.  And to know that - you need to outdoors and check it out ! Put your fingers in the soil about 3" - and if it feels dry (not cold) then it is time to water. BUT WAIT - no need to water everything !!! 

dry soil tends to be clumped and pale in color

The second item to check is what type of plant it is. Most deciduous plants drop their leaves in the fall and stay dormant even in a warm spell.  Same goes for ground dwelling perennials. The needles evergreens also stay dormant even in a warmer winter. 

But if you see any buds or small leaves coming out on a tree or shrub then you might have to water them. 

most perennials like this emerging Hosta do not need to be watered 

Focus on three key plants

It is Evergreens the ones to watch out for !  Those broadleaf ones can get woken up and may need to be watered. Especially if there is no rain in sight and the soil is dry.  The are also more likely to loose water through transpiration if the leaves become active.

Holly

Boxwood

Rhododendron

What not to do

Whatever you do - it is ill advised to turn your irrigation system back on.  Also do not have the building or plumber turn the water back on to the spigot.  Winter temperatures fluctuate and a sudden freeze can occur quickly.  An irrigation system or pipes full of water is an invitation to disaster and litigation.

Use a bucket or watering can from a tap inside the house.  Fill it and drench all the plants in your garden that need it.  Use enough to thoroughly drench the containers the plants are in. 

use a bucket or watering can !

DO NOT FERTILIZE.  If you think you are helping your plants by giving them food now - you are not.  Fertilizing them will encouraging them to push sugar towards their leaves and start sprouting.  This compounds the problem as the warm weather is telling them the same thing. If we get a cold snap it will freeze that sugar in the stems of the plant and damage the plant or even kill it.

The best time to water is mid morning. But also check the weather - it could be raining or snowing tomorrow !

For some winter watering advise - Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 52 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission from @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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