Winter Watering

Niki Kenniff
Agriculture & Horticulture
Program Assistance

extension office garden in late fall early winter

Winter may be around the corner, but with drought conditions lingering for much of the state, some of your outside plants may still need supplemental water. The majority of Kansas is suffering from drought, almost 70% of counties in varying levels from abnormally dry to extreme drought according to drought.gov. The northern portion of Douglas County, including the Lecompton and Lawrence areas, are listed with severe drought. This means that even though it’s getting cold outside, you may need to continue to water if we do not get rain or snow.

Any newly planted specimen or group plantings are especially vulnerable to winter drought as their root systems are limited and cannot easily access the available moisture. Fall planted or over-seeded lawns will also need watering to become established when winter is dry. A sprinkler is ideal for watering lawns and allowing the water to penetrate at least 6” is sufficient. Even trees and shrubs that were planted in the last few years will benefit from supplemental water when dry winter conditions persist. It can take years for trees and shrubs to become established and with ongoing drought conditions, supplemental water is needed to sustain these plants.

Evergreen trees and shrubs may also need more water during the colder months as they do not go dormant. Dry air and harsh winds can pull moisture from their leaves causing plant stress. This stress may not be visible immediately, but can lead to damage visible the following year. Make sure to adequately water your evergreens if dry conditions persist.

Just follow some basic guidelines to care for your plants during dry periods. Water at least once month and to a depth of 12” for most perennials, trees and shrubs if rain or snow is scarce. If you are unsure if watering is needed, check the soil around the plant, if the soil is dry and no moisture is in the immediate forecast, go ahead and water. Make sure to water when temperatures are above freezing and watering earlier in the day is best to allow the water to reach the roots. Do make sure to disconnect hoses after watering if freezing temperatures are expected to avoid water freezing inside the hose and spigot.