Unless all of the plants in your yard are drought-resistant, they need water. The soil is dry, and many trees and shrubs need more than this winter’s smidgens of snow and rain.

Saturday is supposed to be warm, so it will be the perfect day. Then you can impress your friends at the Super Bowl party with your diligence in the garden: “The spruce was really drying out, but I think it is going to pull through now.”

If you are having difficulty finding the time to drag the hoses out, think about the time it will take to remove and replace the dead plant later this year.

Water evergreens first — spruces are very susceptible to winter desiccation, as dry winter winds pull moisture from the needles. Hollies, mahonia, partially evergreen viburnums and even pines, cedars and upright junipers will be grateful for a drink.

Once the evergreens are done, water any trees or shrubs that have been planted in the past year or two years. Roots grow rather slowly after transplanting, so trees especially can take a little while before they can hold their own.

Apply the water in a large circle around the base of the tree or shrub. A speaker I saw recently suggested picturing a tree as a wine glass sitting in the middle of a turkey platter. The glass represents the tree and the platter represents the root system. You will want to water at least a portion of the platter and put enough down to let it soak in to the soil. Preferably, wet the top 8 to 12 inches of soil.

An easy way to get enough water down to the roots is to lay a soaker hose on the ground under the tree, and let the water run for a few hours. You could also set up a sprinkler or simply turn the water down to a trickle and move it around throughout the day until a large area is moistened.

If the soil is still frozen, water may run off before it has a chance to soak in to the soil. In this case, you’ll have to wait for warmer days, but try to remember as soon as thawing temperatures arrive.

Check the soil moisture periodically with a long screwdriver, a metal rod or a dowel. It will push in easily if the soil is moist. If it only goes in a few inches, keep watering.

Do keep an eye on the sprinkler or hose while watering. If water starts running off before the soil is moist, reduce the flow of water. Sometimes water simply comes out of the hose more quickly than soil can absorb it.

And don’t forget to drain the hose and disconnect it from the water source when you are finished, or you might have more exciting stories to tell than watering the spruce.

— Jennifer Smith is the Douglas County Extension Agent-Horticulture for K-State Research & Extension. She can be reached at 843-7058 or smithjen@ksu.edu.