New tree planted in fall - Ask Extension
Montgomery Co planted a hornbeam tree on my property in October. Should I water it even during the winter months? How often? Thank you
Knowledgebase
New tree planted in fall #922732
Asked December 08, 2025, 9:44 AM EST
Montgomery Co planted a hornbeam tree on my property in October. Should I water it even during the winter months? How often? Thank you
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
It will help to keep up with watering if the tree gets too dry (which will be partly depend on the weather), and monitoring for watering will be the same process as for summer: feel the soil about six inches deep next to the roots, and water well (perhaps 10 gallons' worth, depending on tree size) once it becomes somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. In the wild, Hornbeam tends to grow in soils that skew moist, while Hophornbeam can better handle drought and drier sites. Getting too dry over the winter can be a greater cause of winter plant mortality than cold alone, even for well-established plants, though it tends to cause more prominent damage or dieback symptoms (later, in spring) on evergreen plants than on deciduous plants.
Miri
Miri
Thank you.
You're welcome.
