It's been very dry here, no rain for some time and the long range forecast shows no rain in the next 10 days. Would you consider watering as the maples are budding up and leafing out, I would guess so, but temperatures are still low? John
I guess you are talking about maples in containers? I never water mine in the winter, and it is a tricky question when to start watering again. Usually spring is wet enough that I do not have to think about this till after leafout, but an extended dry period at the budding stage makes it difficult to call. If there is a fear of frost in the near future I would certainly hold back, watering might encourage shoot growth that would be soft and liable to frost damage. On the other hand, you do not want to let the roots get too dry and if you use a very free draining mix you will be forced to water at some stage. I would say water sparingly and try to avoid watering close to predicted frosts.
Thanks Maf. I'm going to take your advice and water, the mix is very free draining. When I repotted I noticed the soil was very dry, and as they are starting to bud or leaf out was concerned. I've never watered before this early, but the gardens very dry right now.
I think it's important to water during the winter if the mix dries out completely. Taking Maf's considerations into account, but without any moisture at all the roots will be unable to grow during winter. I usually end up watering 2 or 3 times over the course of a winter. Talking about pots of course, but at this time if I have newly planted in the ground, and it appears to be very dry, (I do mound planting), I'll give it a water, too. I took all of last years seedlings out of shelter last week, they were very dry some of them. If we have a very extended cold or wet period now I can always put them back.
I agree, don't let the mix dry out completely. I use loam and/or John Innes in my potting mixes so they never really completely dry out over winter, rainfall and snow is enough to keep them moist for six months or so when no transpiration is going on. The only ones I have to keep an eye on are partially under the eaves of a house. I understand the benefits of the gritty, soil-less, very free draining mixes in certain respects, but they do not suit my growing requirements. I don't want to have to water maples that are not in leaf, and I don't want to have to water every day in the summer.
I use 50/50 john Innes no 3 and pine nugget bark, free draining and open. I guess the terracotta pots I use help the mix dry out. We have not had rain for some time, the soil in the garden borders is dry on top, very unusual in March.
Would tend to agree with maf on the watering times,don't even think about watering any of mine in containers till around early April, will only water if the weather conditions improve/warm vastly greater than what they normally are for this time of the month. Most of my large containers still have the residue of the snow to keep them well hydrated, as a rule of thumb the first watering /feed they get is in April just before the buds start to unfurl,then every body containers/ground trees will have a good soaking of liquid seaweed, once in April then again at the back end of October ,plus the regular watering cycle through out the season. Most of my container trees are placed on paving/stone slabs this serves two purposes firstly i don't like my containers on bare soil/chippings because i don't like the roots spreading into the ground from beneath the pots, secondly and most importantly when there has been little rain i can gauge just by looking at the bases how much moisture is coming from the containers on to the dry stone bases ,this then gives me a good generic guide to moisture levels of all the container trees.All of my containers come with ready drilled factory holes, i then increase these by drilling on average eight more holes under each pot , plus six on the sides of larger containers. Will start watering the ground trees when the bark chippings they are all surrounded by start to sound as though you are walking on cornflakes, then i know it's time to start watering, long way off that yet, at the moment every where you walk it's just squelching under foot, John looks like we get more 'rain up't north an all'
First day of watering started,good weather all week should really get them moving now. At least 3 weeks behind this time last year,that cold snowy period at the end of January has certainly hardened them off. Speaking to a couple of nursery growers this week and they are all in the same boat,poly tunnel plants no problems as such maybe 1/2 weeks behind, but the outside ground and large container trees are well behind, struggling to have trees ready for the start of the spring show season.
Been busy today installing a drip irrigation system for the pots we have around the patio. Having the lawn relaid so taken the opportunity to run the piping around the patio under the lawn with risers where the different groups of pots are clustered. The watering had started to become laborious and I'd rather be spending the time training and shaping my maples and who knows, researching others to add to the collection. Hopefully tomorrow it will all be finished. John
