Winter Tree Care: 5 Easy Steps

We love helping you care for new trees/shrubs through the winter. It can take such little effort and yet have enormous results! Here are our top tips -

1 - Tree Guards All the Way Down

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2 - Stomp Down the Snow

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3 - Shake it Off

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4 - Protect from Bunnies (+ Deer)

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5 - Take it Off

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Full-Season Watering: 10 Easy Steps

We love it when you experience the results of reliable, effective watering! We always set you up with everything you need - pliable hoses, easy on/off watering wands, spigot splitters, etc. And, most importantly - clear directions based on our years of experience.

1 - Only Use Cold, Gentle Water

Use a nozzle that offers a gentle rain. Always check the temp of the water as it comes out of the hose to make sure it's cold. Even early in the day, the first water out of the hose can be burning hot

‘Room-temperature’ is not cold enough, because it means the heat is still working its way out of the hose. Room-temperature water is often followed by a burst of hot water. Wait until it is as cold as a mountain stream

2 - Water in the Early Morning

Water in the early morning. There are two benefits to watering in the morning. One, the stomata on the leaves are closed (rather than open, to taking in sunlight). And two, the leaves have a chance to dry when the sun comes out. Watering in the evening can lead to disease and is best done only infrequently

If you need to water during the heat of the day, just water the ground around the plants and avoid the leaves

3 - First Two Mornings

Expect to water everything the first two mornings after planting - this is crucial for the plants to survive. We water thoroughly upon planting, and again every morning we are there - however, if we are not there, this will be your early morning task

This will take longer than you expect - please give yourself enough time to enjoy the work, as these two days are critical

4 - Fill the Bowl

We use soil to build catchment basins (or “natural bowls”) around everything we plant. These bowls catch and hold water, then drain the water slowly directly to the plants’ roots. Once we mulch, these bowls work invisibly to help your plants thrive, especially when we plant on a slope. As you water, imagine yourself filling each bowl, waiting for the water to go down, then filling the bowl again.

When watering on a slope, take extra care not to over-fill the bowl, as the water pressure can cause the bowl to break and no longer function as intended. Go slowly, and allow the water time to absorb to drain. If you see water running down the side of the slope, it means the bowl has broken. Taking the time to fix it (or asking us to fix it) will help your plants thrive in a thirsty environment.

We like to practice watering all the plants from one direction, then going back the other direction (for example, east to west, then west to east). This offers a natural pause for each plant as it is drinking. Depending on how long you spend with each plant, you can do this twice.

5 - Every Few Days

After the initial two days, shift to watering 2-3 times a week. Plants do not like being watered every day, as it will cause their roots to rot. For smaller plants, three times a week is ideal. For trees/shrubs, twice a week works well, as long as they are deep waterings each time.

If you notice that a plant looks especially sad, place the mouth of the hose at the center of the bowl and leave it on for 10-20 minutes, on a very slow flow. For trees/shrubs, you can leave it on overnight. After doing this, check and make sure the roots are still firmly in the planting hole, with good soil connection, and have not been dislodged by the water. If they have, pack the soil back around the roots and re-create the catchment basin.

6 - An Inch of Rain

New trees/shrubs need an inch of rain a week, or 10 gallons of water. This is 5 gallons twice a week. You can time yourself filling a 5-gallon bucket. This is how long you would need to water each tree/shrub twice a week, with pauses for the plants to drink.

Alternatively, you can use “TreeDiapers” for your trees/shrubs. We love working with this product!! and are able to buy it in bulk. TreeDiapers only need to be refilled once, maybe twice, each season.

Check out these amazing products here: https://www.treediaper.com/products

7 - Did it Really Rain?

Usually, rain is not heavy enough to replace a watering. To know how much rain actually fell, I look at the weather (https://www.wunderground.com) and notice the depth of each rain. A light drizzle of .01" cannot reach the roots beneath the mulch, but a rain of .5" is a solid half an inch.

Weather apps only tell how much rain is predicted to fall. The reality is often different from the prediction, and often much less. If you want to know for sure, set up a rain gauge in your garden.

If you want one of these cool rain gauges, I’m happy to order for you: Wholesale Rain Gauges

8 - Provide Shade

If plants are sad on hot days, provide shade. I love crating a good cardboard lean-to, leaning the cardboard against a chair or brick to block afternoon / late afternoon sun. This may seem silly, but it is wildly effective. With just a little bit of shade, your new plants can thrive through blazing hot weeks. Once their root systems grow strong, they will not need as much tending.

Here are some things to remember -

• Keep good air flow, or you will accidentally create a sauna

• Do not use plastic or anything that retains heat, especially not over the plant

• Uncover plants at night, so they can collect dew

You can use cardboard, lawnsigns, benches, plywood, so many options! During a hot summer, any amount of shade helps.

9 - Remove the Flowers

If your plants look wilty, consider gently removing the flowers. This practice is especially helpful for the first 1-2 years of growing fruit trees. This encourages the plants to focus all their energy on their root system, building a strong foundation for future years.

10 - Keep Watering ALL Fall - Please!

Continue to water all plants until dormancy and/or frost. Lack of fall watering is the #1 reason new plants experience winter death. I cannot emphasize enough - for new plants, keep watering until frost, and your plants will come back in spring, healthy and beautiful.

For all trees/shrubs with Tree Diapers, there is no need to water. Simply have us come in fall to re-charge the TreeDiapers, and they can stay on through the winter and be ready for the following spring.

Please be in touch with any questions!

We are happy to walk you through any of this, or provide additional support.