How often should i water my 2" Aut flowering cherrys in the winter? They were just planted three days ago. Jan 16th, 2012. Thank you

Answer #1 · Brent Wilson's Answer · Hi Albert,

This will depend on several factors. First though, you do want to make sure and soak the trees in real good at planting time.

If the trees were container-grown then they might require a little more attention to watering. This is because container-grown trees are grown in a potting mix that dries out quicker if there isn't average or regular rainfall. If they were field grown (B&B) then they won't need as much attention because native soils tend to hold more water.

In general, during the winter, when trees are dormant and are not actively growing, they aren't drinking much if any water. All you want to do is keep the soil damp to protect roots from freezing. This means you might need to water the trees one time a month or so, and this is if there's no rainfall. If there's a good rain every week or so the trees should require no watering until the temps warm up in spring. That being said, if your soil is real sandy and drains quickly, you might need to water a little more frequently even during winter. If your soil is red clay it will hold water much longer, especially during winter.

To check soil for moisture just use the finger test. If the soil is dry, add water. If the soil is damp or wet, avoid watering.

Hope this info helped and good luck with your new trees!

Brent)