- How does winter desiccation happen?<\/a><\/li>
- Symptoms of winter desiccation<\/a><\/li>
- How to prevent winter desiccation<\/a><\/li>
- How to repair winter desiccation<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
How does winter desiccation happen?<\/span><\/h2>
Winter desiccation happens whenever a plant loses more water through its leaves than it can absorb through its roots in the winter. This can happen in two ways:<\/p>
- Moisture is lost through photosynthesis and transpiration<\/strong>, normal metabolic processes that are important for a plant\u2019s survival. Winter desiccation sets in when the roots can\u2019t absorb enough water because the soil is frozen or there\u2019s no precipitation.<\/li>
- External factors dry out the plant more than usual<\/strong> to the point that the roots cannot keep up with the lost water. Unusually warm and sunny days or winter winds can increase a plant\u2019s moisture loss and cause winter desiccation.<\/li> <\/ul>
Because winter desiccation targets the leaves, broadleaf trees and plants like turfgrasses are more prone to winter desiccation than needle leaves (conifers). However, conifers can still be affected by it.<\/p>
Additionally, winter desiccation hits young plants and new growth the worst.<\/strong> So, your plants (including your lawn) may get hit harder if a sudden warm spell nudges them out of dormancy and prematurely starts spring growth.<\/p>
Symptoms of winter desiccation<\/span><\/h2>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AdobeStock_373607185-1.jpeg\")
singjai<\/a> | Adobe Stock Free | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> The symptoms of winter desiccation typically affect the leaves:<\/p>
- Leaves will become discolored<\/strong>, either yellow or brown. <\/li>
- Spots may appear on leaves<\/strong>.<\/li>
- Leaf margins and tips may get leaf burn<\/strong>. Needles on conifers will turn brown or reddish-brown at the tips until they become fully discolored.<\/li>
- Leaves will drop <\/strong>if they fully die. In lawns, this may result in thinning turf.<\/li> <\/ul>
Dieback may happen in the worst-case scenario.<\/strong> Dieback is the death of twigs, shoots, and branches. It will start at the tip and progress toward the base of the plant.<\/p>
Often, one side of the plant is hit harder than the other. This is because this side has faced the brunt of the winter winds. The worse side also may have absorbed a lot of reflected heat from the pavement or structures (including your home).<\/p>
The symptoms of winter desiccation may not appear until spring.<\/strong> In severe cases, you may not know that anything has gone wrong until your plants start dying back even after they have started growing again in the spring.<\/p>
How to prevent winter desiccation<\/span><\/h2>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AdobeStock_290201676-1-1.jpeg\")
rh2010<\/a> | Adobe Stock Free | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Preventing winter desiccation typically involves retaining moisture in your plants before winter sets in:<\/p>
- Water your plants thoroughly before winter. <\/strong>Keep watering your plants deeply until the ground freezes. You\u2019ll want to soak the root zone before the colder temperatures set in. <\/li>
- Cover small plants with a protective fabric<\/strong> (like burlap) to physically protect them from winter winds.<\/li>
- Spray an anti-desiccant <\/strong>on the leaves of your evergreens. Also called anti-transpirants, these types of products coat leaves and lock the moisture within throughout the winter. One such product is Wilt-Pruf, which is made from pine tree resin and prevents drying out for up to 4 months in the winter.<\/li>
- Water your plants <\/strong>during extended dry periods in the winter. Only irrigate if the temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, though.<\/li>
- Don\u2019t remove snow around your plants. <\/strong>This includes your lawn. Snow is an extra layer of protection that shields your plants from winter winds.<\/li>
- Keep your plants healthy throughout the rest of the year. <\/strong>A weak and stressed plant is more susceptible to winter desiccation.<\/li> <\/ul>
Will mulch prevent winter desiccation? <\/strong>The results are mixed. According to the official website of the state of Maine<\/a>, white rock or lava rock spread around the base of trees can make them more susceptible to winter desiccation. It likely depends on the type of mulch<\/a> used. We recommend using organic mulch<\/a> instead of rocks around trees.<\/p>
The best time to take these preventative steps is before the ground freezes.<\/strong> However, the second best time is during a sudden warm spell in the winter months.<\/p>
Buy anti-desiccant (anti-transpirant) spray here:<\/strong><\/p>
- Amazon<\/a><\/li>
- Home Depot<\/a><\/li>
- Walmart<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>
- \u201cHow to Protect Your Lawn from Winter Damage\u201d<\/a><\/li>
- “When to Stop Watering Your Lawn”<\/a><\/li>
- “What is Mulch?”<\/a><\/li>
- “How to Mulch”<\/a><\/li>
- “How Deep Should Mulch Be?”<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
How to repair winter desiccation<\/span><\/h2>
![\"person](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AdobeStock_313170896-1.jpeg\")
Wlodzimierz<\/a> | Adobe Stock | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> The sad thing about winter desiccation is that you can\u2019t do much to repair it beyond properly caring for the affected plants in the spring. You can\u2019t revive already dead leaves.<\/p>
However, there is hope. <\/strong>Plants can bounce back as long as the winter desiccation damage isn\u2019t too severe. So, the best you can do is to support healthy new growth. One of the ways you can support healthy growth is by pruning your plants<\/a> in the spring.<\/p>
If your turf is damaged, you can <\/strong>overseed your lawn<\/strong><\/a> or <\/strong>install sod<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 the latter is best for severe damage.<\/p>
Read more about winter yard preparation:<\/strong><\/p>
- “How to Winterize Your Lawn”<\/a><\/li>
- “How to Winterize Your Flower Beds”<\/a><\/li>
- “How to Winterize Your Raised Garden Bed”<\/a><\/li>
- “How to Winterize Your Vegetable Garden”<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
FAQs about winter desiccation<\/span><\/h2>
Do you have to worry about winter desiccation in the South?<\/strong>Although winter desiccation is more of a problem in the North and the transition zone, it can hit the South, too. Since winter desiccation is just excessive drying out in the winter months, it can happen anywhere.
What plants are most susceptible to winter desiccation?<\/strong>Any plant that keeps its leaves in the winter (evergreens) is susceptible to winter desiccation. Lawns, in particular, are very susceptible.
What other types of winter damage should you look out for?<\/strong>Winter damage can also be caused by:
Hire a pro to care for your yard and garden<\/span><\/h2>
You\u2019ll need to take good care of your yard not just in the winter but also throughout the rest of the year so it can survive through the winter. When it comes to your lawn, you\u2019ll need to mow it<\/a>, fertilize it<\/a>, and keep weeds away<\/a>. Lawn Love can connect you with a pro near you<\/a> who can do that and take care of your garden<\/a>, too. Hire a pro through Lawn Love today.<\/p>
\t\t\t\t\t\tSources:<\/strong><\/p> \t\t\t
<\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\tMaine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry<\/a><\/p> <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div>
Main Image Credit: Studio-FI<\/a> | Adobe Stock Free | License<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winter desiccation is the phenomenon where a plant loses water through its leaves faster than it can regain it through its roots during the winter months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":36377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[147,1229],"class_list":["post-36374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lawn-care-tips","tag-lawn-care","tag-winter-lawn-care"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/frost-grass.jpeg","author_info":{"display_name":"Janine Caayao","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/janine-caayao\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36374"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40257,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36374\/revisions\/40257"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- “How to Winterize Your Flower Beds”<\/a><\/li>
- “When to Stop Watering Your Lawn”<\/a><\/li>
- Home Depot<\/a><\/li>
- Cover small plants with a protective fabric<\/strong> (like burlap) to physically protect them from winter winds.<\/li>
- Spots may appear on leaves<\/strong>.<\/li>
- External factors dry out the plant more than usual<\/strong> to the point that the roots cannot keep up with the lost water. Unusually warm and sunny days or winter winds can increase a plant\u2019s moisture loss and cause winter desiccation.<\/li> <\/ul>
- Symptoms of winter desiccation<\/a><\/li>