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Protecting your plants through Mother Nature’s winter dry spells

A little extra water goes a long way toward keeping plants happy, healthy and ready for spring.

We’re used to watering our plants in the summer, but once the plants lose their leaves in the fall, we tend to forget about them until spring.

But if we get a prolonged stretch of dry weather over the cooler winter months, your plants will need a little TLC. That means using a hose or bucket to give them some extra water now and then to help them get through the winter. (Due to this year's drought conditions and the need to conserve our water supplies, delay turning on automatic sprinkler systems until mid-to-late May. And then, watering two days per week should be sufficient for your lawn for most of the summer.)

Winter watering using a hose or bucket is important, especially for young plants because it encourages root growth while preventing root damage. It also sets them up to grow in the spring.

So, when is the winter watering season?

When we say, “winter watering,” we’re generally talking about watering that may be needed between October and April if it has been dry for the past two to three weeks.

Here are a few other guidelines to follow:

Water your plants only if there has been no “meaningful moisture” in the past two to three weeks.
Water at midday and only when the temperature is above 40 degrees.
Don’t water if there is snow on the ground or if the forecast predicts snow or rain.
Don’t water if the ground is frozen.
Always disconnect the hose from the spigot when you are finished to protect your pipes from freezing.
Drain your hose so water doesn’t freeze inside.
Only use a hose. Do not use your underground irrigation system.

So, how much water does a plant need?

Well, in the first three years after planting, small- to medium-sized plants need about 5 gallons of water every two to three weeks when there hasn’t been significant moisture.

Get tips for watering trees in the winter in this TAP story.

After a few years, once the plants are established, they'll need about 5 gallons once a month during dry spells.

For water-wise or native plants, they’re adapted to survive in dry conditions, but it’s OK to give them a little extra water now and then when it has been especially dry.

How should I water?

Now, let’s look at some options for how to water your plants. Start by using mulch to create a small bowl around the plant to help keep water over the roots.

A close-up of a person kneeling down, spreading mulch around a shrub. — Before watering, build a “bowl” out of mulch around a plant. This helps keep water on the plant’s rootball. Photo credit: Denver Water.

Then fill a 5-gallon bucket with water. Slowly pour the water into the bowl, filling it up. Try to avoid watering directly on top of the plant. (You want the water to soak into the soil around the plant’s roots.)

A person pours a 5-gallon bucket of water onto a shrub. — Slowly pour water from a 5-gallon bucket into the bowl around the plant. Photo credit: Denver Water.

If you prefer to use a spray nozzle or hand wand, the first thing to do is figure out how much water is coming out.

Grab a 5-gallon bucket and see how long it takes to fill up the bucket using your spray nozzle or hand wand. Remember, slower is better.

Now, using the information about how long it took you to fill your 5-gallon bucket, water your plant for the same amount of time.

A close-up of a hand-wand hose watering a shrub. — Use a hand wand on a low setting to water around the plant and fill up the mulch bowl. Photo credit: Denver Water.

With either the bucket or hand watering, if water goes over the top of the mulch bowl, stop and give the water some time to soak into the soil before continuing.

Water another plant in the meantime and then come back to make sure each plant gets its full 5 gallons.

Soaker hose

Another watering option is to place a soaker hose around your plants.

While it’s harder to get water right on the plants using a soaker hose, this is an easy method and still gets water into the ground. If you have wood mulch, clear some of it away from the hose so the water goes into the ground and is not absorbed by the mulch.

You can run the soaker hose for about 30 minutes and move it around if you have many plants.

If water starts spilling onto the sidewalk, slow the flow of water to allow it to soak into the ground. Continue watering later if needed.

A black soaker hose gently sprays water on a shrub. — Using a soaker hose is an effective way to deliver water to plants, as it releases water slowly. Pull wood mulch away from the soaker hose to ensure water soaks into the ground (and not the mulch). Photo credit: Denver Water.

Prioritizing plants

Watering by hand does take time, so be sure to prioritize which plants to water. Focus on the newest plants and also those in south-facing and wind-prone areas.

Winter is a good time to make sure you mulch around your plants. Mulch helps protect the roots and retains moisture.

Thanks to our partners for their help and information on winter watering: Colorado State Forest Service, CSU Extension, Denver Botanic Gardens, Plant Select, Resource Central and The Park People.