All this warm, dry weather is abnormal for this time of year, so even if you’re used to just letting your plants sit dormant over the winter, right now you might want to think about pulling your hose or sprinkler out of storage.

• Get out the hoses or run the sprinklers.
• Lawns on south-facing, southwest facing areas and slopes should get special attention since they receive more sun.

Winter drought can lead to root injury or death. These drought-injured plants may not show symptoms of the problem until the next season or even the next year. In fact they may leaf out and flower just fine in the spring, relying on stored food reserves. Once that energy supply runs out plants weaken and start dying back. Even if a plant isn’t killed outright, it is made more susceptible to insect and disease attack.

Northern Nevadans, if we want to save our lawns, we’re going to need to do some unseasonable gardening

So here’s what you need to do:

Go outside and take a look at your lawn. This time of year it’s normal to see some brown in the grass, but since the weather has been so warm, a healthy lawn should also be partially green. The next thing you want to do is check the root zone. If the soil is dry about four inches down, you need to water it.

Water only when the air temperature is above freezing and the soil isn’t frozen… Water early in the day to allow water time to drain away from the bases of plants. (Frozen water next to the bark can physically damage trees and shrubs.) Soaker hoses work well for applying the water slowly and where needed.

Apply the water where it counts the most… in the root zone. Consider that established trees have roots that go out at least as far as the tree is tall and usually further. It is in the “dripline” and just beyond where most of the water should be applied. The “dripline” is an imaginary vertical line that is perpendicular to the longest side branches of the tree and perpendicular to the ground. Water applied at the tree trunk base is wasted because there are no water absorbing roots there.

Watering recently planted trees and shrubs is a different story. Their roots don’t go out that far yet. In this case you will want to water the root ball zone and just beyond. The aim is to water where the roots are. This makes sense doesn’t it?

And since our weather can be unpredictable, it’s good to remember to drain your hose and store it somewhere where it won’t freeze, and make sure your hose bibs are insulated.

If you need help with this, we are here for you. Give us a call today at: 329-1531. All Seasons Lawn & Landscaping, serving the reno & sparks community for over 20 years.

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