Spring Irrigation

Ah, February – the slow warming of air and soil as the sun rises earlier and climbs higher. Soon the days will be warm enough and long enough to draw us outside, into our landscapes. Maybe you have a favorite corner seat from which to soak in the sun and watch the garden wake up – insects and birds begin to appear, the early bulbs push green leaves up through mulch, the Siberian elms open their tiny flowers and rain pollen down on us all. What can you do to help this waking up?

Deciduous trees, having dropped their leaves in fall, are not moving water from soil to air right now, though the evergreens are. With all of the trees warming up, it’s time to think about getting water into the soil now, so they have it available when the expanding leaf buds send their chemical hormone message down to the roots, “Send water! Growth starting in three, two, one…”

With the dry winter we’re having, there is little residual moisture in the soil here, unless it’s been irrigated. We don’t want the roots to have to send back a message saying, “Uh…wait up here…give us a minute!”  So, we irrigate! Water broadly with enough water so that it soaks down about eighteen inches; ideally do this once a month during the winter, but at least now in preparation for the spring growth push. This way your trees don’t start their year all thirsty! 

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