Fall watering is key to a healthy lawn and garden

Autumn in the Pikes Peak Region can be warm, cool, snowy or blazing hot. While it’s tempting to stop watering your landscape after Labor Day, it’s important to hydrate your plants through fall to prevent lawn and tree winterkill. Follow these five tips for best success.

1. Continue to water consistently. Plants need water even as they’re going dormant. If you stop watering too early, your lawn and plants will be dehydrated as cold weather sets in. Dehydration can lead to more brown patches in your lawn and tree branch dieback in spring. Since winter can be extremely dry in the Pikes Peak Region, help your plants be more resilient by going into winter in a well-hydrated state through watering consistently. It’s like drinking a cup of herbal tea before you go to bed.
    
2. Water according to the weather. Fall weather in Colorado can be highly variable. If you don’t have a smart controller, you will need to pay more attention to how often to water each week. Water twice per week if it’s warm and once per week if it’s cooler. If we get several warm, dry weeks after an initial cold snap, water regularly even if you must use a hose-end sprinkler.
    
3. Winterize your sprinkler system. Most Colorado Springs homeowners shut down their sprinklers sometime in October to prevent freeze damage. A landscape professional can “blow out” the remaining water in your sprinkler system with compressed air. This service is a good investment to prevent costly repairs. Keep in mind that your plants may still need water even after your system is winterized.
    
4. Winter water. While your sprinkler is shut down from November through April, moisten the soil with a hose-end sprinkler or watering wand, especially during extended dry periods. Winter watering prevents plant death due to dehydration and is one of the best ways to keep your lawn and trees healthy. 
    
5. Take care of your landscape in the fall.  View our fall landscaping checklist to give lawns, plants, trees and shrubs a better chance of rebounding in the spring. You’ll also lessen your workload when everything starts growing.

By watering consistently according to the weather, proactively winterizing your sprinkler system and winter watering occasionally you can create a beautiful, water-wise yard. Remember: consistent hydration prevents winterkill!