Winter Watering Of Plants

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Do you need to water plants in your yard since it hasn't snowed much this winter? Maybe.

Newly-planted shrubs can often benefit from watering during a warmer winter when there hasn't been a lot of rain or snow. Evergreens, and particularly shallow-rooted plants like rhododendrons, can lose a lot of water on sunny days when the humidity is low. And a windy winter day really dries out plants and soil most of all.

So, you can check to see if the soil is really dry, and if it is, give newly-planted shrubs 5 or 10 gallons of water once or twice a month. Be careful to only water on days when it's above 40 degrees, and do it early in the day so that the water soaks in completely before temperatures fall at night - you don't want a puddle of ice around your plant.

Then, don't forget to turn off your outside water pipe and drain your hose, or you'll be sorrier than your shrubs when temperatures freeze again.