Diligent green-thumbers water their trees and shrubs at least once a month through the winter, unless it rains or snows enough to moisten the soil to a depth of 12 inches. If not, start dragging hoses to trees and give them a good soak to that 12-inch depth on a day when water will soak in.

Click here to read the full story from the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Northern Nevada winters are known for cold, dry air, little precipitation and wide outdoor temperature swings, which can cause damage to your trees. The need for winter watering may not be obvious, but trees need water during these dry spells to stay healthy.

Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition offers these easy-to-follow tips that can help your trees survive the next couple of months, and thrive when the weather warms.

• If your trees have not received water from Mother Nature for two to four weeks, it is time to provide some supplemental watering with a hose. Make sure you water when temperatures are above 40 degrees and early enough in the day that the water will not freeze, which can cause damage to the tree.
• Use a soaker hose to encircle the tree midway between its trunk and midline. Apply some water and then move the hose outward toward the drip line.
• Do not spray tree trunks with water in order to reduce the risk of frost injuries or winter burn.
• Help keep moisture in soil and regulate soil temperature by putting a three to four inch deep layer of organic mulch around your tree.
• Heavy snow on tree limbs should be removed to avoid breakage.
• If winter has a particularly warm day, consider deep root watering to break up the soil. Avoid fertilizing before spring, which can prematurely wake up the tree’s roots.

Maintaining the health of your trees, and keeping them adequately watered, is important year-round.

If you have a tree condition of concern, use the Ask An Arborist forum at www.communityforestry.org for assistance. The Community Forestry Coalition’s website provides a wealth of information on tree care in the high desert climate of the Truckee Meadows.

The Mission of the Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition is to enhance the protection and preservation of the public and private community forest through education, research, conservation and collaborative policy development.

Most of us don’t think about it, but fall and winter are good times to trim and prune many of our trees.

While pruning and trimming can take place all year long for most trees, it’s easier to see the shapes of trees and the direction of branches after they shed their summer canopies of leaves. Colder weather also discourages diseases and pests in trees.

Click here to read the full story from the Reno Gazette-Journal.