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ITS COLD!
Winterization for plants and irrigation:
- Any above ground piping needs to be insulated. You can buy self sticking foam insulating tape to wrap around the pipe or foam insulating tubes commonly sold at home supply stores on them. Cover your hose bibs and any exposed pipe that can potentially freeze.
- Hire an irrigation company to winterize your irrigation system. This includes flushing out lines, changing your clocks to the right settings such as later start times, decrease frequency and shorter durations of watering. You will also need someone to help you first turn on your sprinkler or drip system in spring to flush it out. During the winter small critters may take up residence in your sprinklers, emitters, tubes, and pipes
- Only run your irrigation system in above freezing temperatures. Beware that most clocks are set up to water in the wee morning hours when its the coldest. So, change the watering start times to later in the morning around 8:00 AM when temperatures warm up. Most Native and Adapted Planting Beds only need 10- 15 minutes a week and Lawns 10 minutes a week in the Winter Months. I tend to turn off my irrigation during the Winter and water only when needed.
- If you planted trees in the Fall and the trunks are about 1" in diameter, water them for 5 minutes for deep root establishment on a slow drip 2 times a month in the Winter.
- Keep mulch in beds 2"- 4" deep to help insulated plants from freezing temperatures.
- You can still plant annual flowers like Violas, Pansies, Snapdragons, Ornamental Kale and Cabbage, Dianthus.
- Prune trees and shrubs any time during the Winter while they are dormant.
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