To water or not to water in freezing temps? Not really stupid if you read on...

[gypsyhowl]

Sounds stupid, but my mother is worried terribly about losing her pines... we live in Southern AZ and have never had this problem before... mostly because it has never been this cold, not like lately. I don't want to water as it will be freezing again tonight and it is late afternoon right now... and when I return later this week it will be in another cold snap, supposedly. Will the watering kill/harm the pines? What temperature should I wait for it to be in order to get them the badly needed moisture? Thank you ~ D

 

[TreeClimber57]

Sounds stupid, but my mother is worried terribly about losing her pines... we live in Southern AZ and have never had this problem before... mostly because it has never been this cold, not like lately. I don't want to water as it will be freezing again tonight and it is late afternoon right now... and when I return later this week it will be in another cold snap, supposedly. Will the watering kill/harm the pines? What temperature should I wait for it to be in order to get them the badly needed moisture? Thank you ~ D

You did not specifically state species, but any pines we have around us are not harmed if you water them. In fact in many cases people apply water in late fall before ground freezes. I am assuming you are watering the ground around base of pine. If ground is not frozen, the water will be absorbed by ground and below any freezing area. (you are saying freezing later.. so sounds like it is above freezing). And if temperature is fluctuating above and below, you are only going to get slight surface freeze at most of water.. which will not harm the tree or the grass.

 

[gypsyhowl]

You did not specifically state species, but any pines we have around us are not harmed if you water them. In fact in many cases people apply water in late fall before ground freezes. I am assuming you are watering the ground around base of pine. If ground is not frozen, the water will be absorbed by ground and below any freezing area. (you are saying freezing later.. so sounds like it is above freezing). And if temperature is fluctuating above and below, you are only going to get slight surface freeze at most of water.. which will not harm the tree or the grass.

Yes, we are getting quite the variation of temps here right now... tonight it should be 33 F and then it will go up to 37 tomorrow night and then down again to the mid-upper 20s. We are just not used to this here. It was actually the coldest it has EVER been here a few nights ago. <grin> Well, thank you very much, this eases our minds. I appreciate your site!

 

[TreeClimber57]

Yes, we are getting quite the variation of temps here right now... tonight it should be 33 F and then it will go up to 37 tomorrow night and then down again to the mid-upper 20s. We are just not used to this here. It was actually the coldest it has EVER been here a few nights ago. <grin> Well, thank you very much, this eases our minds. I appreciate your site!

Hey glad to help..

Look at thermometer at bottom of message.. that is temp where I am.. and it is actually warm .. was around -25 a week ago..