As I write this, rain continues to fall outside. This despite the fact that it was forecast to stay mainly southwest of here today. While the 6 weeks before this were quite dry, September rainfall at my Cheviot 0.9 SSE location now stands at 3.70 inches and counting. This is actually above the September normal to date!
August and the first half of September were very dry this year. However, July was wet, so deep moisture was good and I suspect established plants may not have been too stressed, especially if they recieved supplemental watering. Still, the late summer drought this year was enough to further stress trees and shrubs.
Trees and shrubs can be damaged if they dry out in the fall or winter, so it is good that we are getting these rains. Remember that there will be warm and dry days to come, so keep an eye on soil moisture as we move through the fall and into winter. As temperatures cool, soil moisture evaporation rates will also slow.
There is an old rule of thumb that trees and shrubs should be watered deeply one last time around Thanksgiving, IF soils are dry and in need of water. Don’t forget about plants near houses or under overhangs as they will dry out even during winter and may die. Water in January? In this case, yes!