When the temperatures in Colorado dropped almost 70 degrees in less than 24 hours several weeks ago, it was a major stress on plants moving into dormancy. The best thing you can do for your plants now is be judicious with your winter watering this season.

This week is perfect for getting out with your hose and spending 20 – 30 minutes watering your plant material. Make sure and water enough so that all of the roots are covered and preferably water in the morning so the plants can soak up the water during the day before the temperatures drop at night.

You should winter water your plants every 2 – 3 weeks on days above 40 degrees F if we haven’t had any good precipitation (melting snow). Water with this priority depending on the dryness: water trees first, evergreen shrubs second (including broadleaf evergreens), ornamental grasses, shrub roses and perennials third, and deciduous shrubs fourth. It is dry enough now that you should water all of them.

If you don’t winter water, next year you may have the famous “half tree.” This is a deciduous tree that will leaf out in the spring with the top half dead and the lower half alive. This is because the roots act like a hydraulic system pumping the water to the branches. If there is not enough water, the upper branches will die. This condition could void your warranty with your landscape company since the plants weren’t watered correctly.

This winter in Colorado, make sure you have a beautiful spring landscape with a little extra maintenance now and over the next several months!