Severe drought and an ominously dry, warm winter in Colorado has gardeners and tree lovers worried and wondering how best to tend their gardens this spring.

“It’s all been very different this year. It’s been warm and dry, and we’ve had wind, which also dries things out,” said Khursheed Mama, who has been a Colorado State University Extension master gardener for two decades in Fort Collins, Colorado. “We have early-blooming shrubs flowering, fruit trees starting to bud, and spring bulbs including crocus, daffodils and tulips coming up earlier than is typical.”

While other parts of the U.S. have been drowning in snow — with deadly avalanches in California’s Sierra Nevada and a “bonkers” 38 inches of snow in coastal Providence, Rhode Island — Colorado has been mostly dry.

Many Coloradans are worried about potential water restrictions and wildfires this summer if drought conditions continue.

Still, expert gardeners in Colorado know that March and April traditionally are the snowiest, wettest months in the Centennial state and are holding out hope.

Spring also is unpredictable in Colorado, and a sudden cold snap could be just around the corner. As always, Colorado’s weather loves to keep meteorologists and gardeners guessing, and the wide swings in temperatures can be added stressors to plants.

No matter how this year’s spring weather unfolds, now is a good time to check soil, water wisely and get your gardens, trees and shrubs ready for the summer months.

The good news is that while native plants and trees are likely better adapted to periods of drought and Colorado’s shifting weather patterns, there are practical steps you can take now to help minimize stress and help trees, shrubs and perennials thrive. Here, Mama outlines gardening strategies to focus on as spring approaches.

Winter watering is critical

“Continue ‘winter’ watering and start pruning and planning,” Mama said.

Winter watering matters every year, but this year, it’s more critical than ever.

The general rule is to water approximately once a month when surface temperatures are over 50 degrees or when soil temperatures are over 40 degrees. Water in the middle of the day so the water has time to absorb into the soil before temperatures drop.

Mama reminds herself to do winter and spring watering by timing it to roughly coincide with big holidays — Thanksgiving, Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentine’s Day, and Easter — unless there’s been natural moisture, there is still snow or the air temperature is not warm enough.

“This year, if you haven’t been watering your trees, they are likely to show signs of stress and may be more susceptible to disease, which may not be noticeable in the first year, but levident in subsequent years,” Mama said.

She recommends digging down with your hands to feel whether the soil a few inches below the surface, closer to the tree roots, is moist. “If not, it’s a good time to water,” she said.

How to water in winter when your sprinklers and spigots are shut down

Most people in Colorado shut down their automated watering systems to prevent them from freezing during the winter.

If accessible, an easy way to water is to connect a hose to a spigot and place it at the tree line and leave it on a slow stream, moving it periodically to surround the entire perimeter. This can be time-consuming if you have a large garden, so you may use a sprinkler at the end of a hose to get a wider swath of water to your plants. You could also attach a soaker hose to the regular hose to encircle the tree’s perimeter. Plan this for a day with less wind so you minimize evaporative loss and ensure the water is soaking into the ground.

How can you water your trees and shrubs when your spigots are shut down for the winter?

Another option, if you have a limited number of trees, is to fill bags designed for this with water and let them slowly drain around the tree’s perimeter. Keep in mind that active roots are usually at the tree line and not at the base of a tree.

A large watering can or an easily available 5-gallon bucket can also be used to carry water to a tree. To slow delivery and allow the roots to absorb moisture, holes may be drilled in the base, allowing gradual emptying.

A general guideline is that a 1-inch caliper tree needs about 10 gallons of water. If time or water resources are limited, focus on younger or recently planted trees. For smaller shrubs, about 5 gallons of water is appropriate, whereas larger shrubs require more. Recently planted material may need more frequent application than monthly if drought conditions persist, Mama said.

How to seal in moisture: Use mulch

To help retain water, Mama recommends placing mulch around trees and shrubs. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and insulates plant root systems from extreme temperature changes, such as when daytime temperatures reach 70 degrees but drop to 20 degrees at night. Spread mulch in a layer a few inches thick, taking care not to pile it directly against tree trunks or plant stems.

Whether your lawn needs watering during a dry winter depends on the type of grass and how established the lawn is. Many people in Colorado grow Kentucky Bluegrass, which goes dormant, allowing it to survive colder months without water.

“In general, I’d put less focus on your lawn and more focus on shrubs and trees, especially if you’re worried about time and your water bill,” she said. “Trees take so long to grow and mature. There’s an investment of time and money there, so it’s worth the time of watering.”

Like lawns, she feels native perennials also will be OK without winter watering. However, if you have non-native perennials from more humid climates, they may need some water to help minimize the stress of the freeze-thaw cycle. Mulch also is helpful.

Prepare your soil and garden beds

“March and into April is a fine time to add compost and work it into your soil,” Mama said. “By doing that, it gives those nutrients time to mellow in the soil before planting.”

The general recommendation for a raised-bed mix is to combine 4 inches of existing soil, 3 inches of topsoil, and 2 inches of an amendment, such as compost. You can sometimes purchase topsoil and amendments already combined.

“Be careful not to over-amend,” Mama said. “If you’ve added amendments for several years in a row, you may not need additional organic matter.”

One way to know this is to test your soil.

Consider testing your soil

You can test your soil to understand how to better prepare it for planting.

Soil sampling in Colorado can be done through the CSU Soil, Water and Plant Testing Laboratory for a fee. Try to grab soil samples about 6 inches deep from half a dozen different places around your garden, then mix the samples together if your soil is a similar mixture throughout. Alternatively, you can test individual locations independently.

Results may take several weeks. For help interpreting them, contact the CSU Extension office or a Colorado Master Gardener.

Get your garden infrastructure in place

March and early April are excellent times to build beds or relocate, repair or expand existing beds. If making raised beds, don’t overthink the design. You can use rocks, stones, concrete blocks, corrugated material, lumber or bricks. While railroad ties are not recommended due to the potential compounds leaching out of them, cedar and other natural, rot-resistant woods are fine.

If you are making new beds, add a barrier underneath that will decompose over time. Newspaper works well and will help prevent grasses or weeds from coming up.

Plan where your beds will go. Mama recommends you consider these things when planning where your garden beds will go:

• Most vegetables need at least eight hours of sunlight.
• The morning sun is generally not as intense as the afternoon rays.
• Make sure the beds won’t be shaded by structures or trees.
• Avoid low spots in your yard where drainage isn’t good.
• Consider putting beds near a water source to make things easier.
• If your beds are where you see them daily, you’re less likely to forget about them.

Plan your watering system for your garden

Consider the watering system you want to use, such as drip or small soaker hoses. Layering mulch over the lines or around vegetable or ornamental plants can help maintain consistent soil moisture and reduce water loss to evaporation until plants grow.

You can also use drip systems for containers. You can plan, purchase or install these systems now, but don’t turn on the water until the risk of freezing has passed. It’s best to set a timer for your system or use an independent zone of your automatic sprinkler system.

Most crops don’t like overhead watering, which increases the plant’s risk of disease.

Aerating your lawn in Spring

Aerating helps because lawns can get compacted with use and mowing, allowing weeds to creep in. Aerating allows water and nutrients to penetrate your lawn, promoting its health. If you rent an aerator to do this yourself, make sure you mark your sprinkler heads so you don’t damage them.

Aerate by making lots of holes (plugs). Allow the plugs to decompose and return nutrients back into the turf system. Mowing will break up the plugs.

Fertilizing lawns and other garden areas

Fertilization is best done before April 15 for your lawn, but Mama sends a bit of caution about fertilizing other plants this year, given the drought and potential for a hot summer.

Fertilizers “push” plants to grow more leaves, flowers and fruit, which sounds great. But if the plant has already had a difficult winter and spring, adding fertilizer in the summer can push it too much, and it may not be able to handle the stress.

“Your lawn is different. It probably needs regular fertilizer applications once watering starts,” she said.

Getting beds ready for flowers

Between March and when you plant flowers in late spring is an excellent time to replace the soil in your gardens and pots.

“I have potted columbines and pansies for Easter,” Mama said. “They handle cool seasons much like annuals. Ornamental kale also does fine.”

When to prune trees, shrubs and other plants

Mama said you can prune most shrubs in March and April, but you shouldn’t prune trees much past March as they start to set buds and leaves. However, it is OK to trim back dead material, overlapping or overloaded branches.

“You don’t want to prune once they start to grow leaves because the leaves are where the tree is getting its nutrients,” Mama said.

“Remember not to prune more than 25% of a tree or shrub, and don’t prune early bloomers, such as lilacs or forsythias in the spring, as you’ll prune off the blooms and lose your flowers. You’ll do those in summer after they have finished flowering,” she said.

You can cut down ornamental grasses as early as March, but wait until around April — when they start to green out — to prune rose bushes.

Start preparing for your garden crops

Nothing is stopping you from gathering seeds in the winter months. In fact, you may have more variety as the shelves haven’t been picked through yet. Decide which crops you will start inside (if you plan to do that) or what you might plant from seed in the garden.

Because vegetable gardens have such a short season, Mama said she doesn’t feel gardeners need to change what they are planting based on summer weather predictions. But of course, as the summer progresses, you may want to consider shade clothes and changes to your watering schedule.

What works for planting inside vs. outside

You can start early-season crops (cold- and cool-season vegetables) outside, like peas, lettuce, and kale. Warm-season crops like tomatoes or peppers can be started indoors in late March or early April and transplanted to your vegetable garden in mid-to-late May, depending on the weather.

If you plan to sow your seeds directly into the ground, you must ensure the ground is warm enough to produce results. Each crop requires a different soil temperature. You can check using a meat or soil thermometer. Cool-season crops can usually be planted in late April, but confirm ground temperatures before planting. This chart helps you determine the ground temperatures you should aim for before planting.

Planting new landscapes or gardens

“Something else to consider, especially since we’ve been seeing a general warming and drying trend, is Colorado native and drought-resistant species when planting or redoing your garden,” Mama said. “These species are used to and have evolved with Colorado’s climate and survived.”

Although Colorado’s dynamic climate may stunt their growth and limit their flowering for a season, they usually come back, and will fare better in drought years than plants bred to be showy for gardens with big blooms and color where watering requirements are higher. She said many garden centers and nurseries have broadened their lists of native plants, offering a wide variety of options for home gardeners.

When considering a lawn, she said these are also good alternatives lawn species:

• Tahoma 31, a hybrid Bermuda grass: drought‑tolerant, handles traffic and pets, but spreads aggressively, so make sure there is a hard stop or barrier, like stones, between your lawn and garden.
• Texas hybrid bluegrass requires less water for a similar look to Kentucky bluegrass.

Other tips from Mama when planning your vegetable garden

• Pay attention to what doesn’t like to be transplanted, for example, squash. You’ll want to put those seeds directly into the ground when soil temperatures are at least 60°F.
• Indoor growing needs a nice, sunny window or grow lights.
• Consider the space you have and the time you’ll have for caring for your garden this summer.
• What does your calendar look like? Will there be big trips that will take you away from your garden? Water is most critical from June to August, when days are hot, and in late summer, when plants are flowering and producing.
• Think about how many people you are feeding. Is there a local place where you can donate your excess produce if you have extra?
• Do you have the ability to store food? Do you feel comfortable with food preservation, such as balancing, freezing, dehydrating, canning, or pressure canning? Your storage capacity and comfort level with processes should be factors in how much food you grow. (If you do end up with extra, consider donating to a local food bank or pantry.)

“The key is, don’t rush and start too early,” Mama said. “If you’re getting impatient and need your fix, take in the smells as you walk through your local greenhouse. I also love going to The Gardens on Spring Creek and enjoying their butterfly garden.”