North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[cutts <cutts@cuttsreviews.com>]

It' a given here in New Mexico that trees may need watering during the 
winter. Our spring is usually very dry, with little precipitation - the 
opposite of most places and very frustrating. My sense is that 
relatively young trees will be most susceptible, as the top layer of 
soil may dry out, while there is usually moisture retained in the deeper 
levels.

Jay Cutts

On Tue, 03 May 2011 07:53:02 -0400, Caren Kirk wrote:
> I believe that you may be correct about the lack of water over the
> winter/ early spring.
>
> About 3 or 4 years ago we had an exceptionally dry period in very 
> early
> spring for our area. It is a time wher I had never considered 
> watering
> anything in the garden, as, between the usual snow melt and the 
> spring
> weather, a lack of water was unheard of. Most plants were still 
> dormant
> at that time. But I ended up losing a wide range of plants, including 
> a
> young apple tree. I think it might be crucial to have a good water
> supply a significant time before bud break and lack of water at that
> time can have devastating effects for young or newly established 
> plants.
>
> This of course is only my theory, but to me it makes sense, I wonder 
> if
> any research exists to back it up. Ginda seems to have had a similar
> experience, and makes an excellent point about the biggest enemy in
> winter being drought (think of those cold, drying winds). These days 
> I
> pay a great deal more attention to what the conditions are like in 
> early
> spring and I am ready with the hose if necessary!
>
> Sorry for your fruit losses,
>
> Caren Kirk
> St. Jerome, QC
>
> On 4/30/2011 12:25 PM, Richard L. Wagner wrote:
> > Last year I planted 50-plus assorted fruits tree (pear, plums,
> > apples, persimmons, peaches, cherries). All leaved out and looked 
> > okay.
> > THis spring about half did not leaf out and are dead though a dozen 
> > or
> > so are breaking from below the graft. It did not get that cold here.
> > Lowest temp was about +5F and even that was not on consecutive days.
> >
> > Last winter was very dry. I never thought about needing to irrigate
> > dormant trees in the winter but is it possible that a lack of winter
> > moisture explains so many dead trees?
> >
> > Richard Wagner
> > Thayer, MO USDA 6B+
> >
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--
Regards,

Jay

Jay Cutts
Director, Cutts Graduate Reviews
Lead Author, Barron's Test Prep Publications (MCAT)
505-281-0684
800-353-4898