Keep Watering Deep into Autumn

garden hose

When the first frost hits, our minds start wandering to winter and many of us tidy up our yards and gardens, and put them to rest in our minds. For some that means a tendency to quit watering  trees, shrubs, and perennials. It makes sense…they’ve lost their leaves, it’s cooler out,  and we want to disconnect and drain our hoses. But the truth is, you want to focus on watering into Autumn,  every 10-14 days until the ground freezes (about mid-November). This year, watering into November is especially important as our area is experiencing a lack of rainfall.

Watering into November is essential for keeping established trees, shrubs, and perennials healthy, for staving off winter burn, helping prevent maple decline, and establishing new landscape plants in their environments.

Minnesota is currently experiencing  various stages of drought–with moderate to severe in our area, so plants still need a good amount of water before they go fully into dormancy for winter. Giving all your plants a good soaking every 10-14 days until hard frost sets in is extremely important if you want to avoid serious losses in the spring. Even watering large shade trees that you wouldn’t think need it, can be a great idea this year.

While all plants can benefit, if you’re short on time this fall, focus on evergreens, boxwoods, maples, fruit trees, and any newly planted landscape trees, shrubs, and perennials.