While California’s oak trees are well adapted to survive the state’s drought, the right approach to supplemental irrigation is critical to prevent pests from taking advantage of drought-stressed oaks.
Oaks will reallocate resources to conserve water to sustain basic physiological functions. But that can lower the trees’ defenses against disease and insects, including borer colonization.
Trees showing foliage discoloration, leaf loss, and burned leaves should receive supplemental irrigation to mimic the rain associated with winter storms by watering later into the spring and again earlier in the fall. The following are basic tips for supplement irrigation:
Read more on Dudek’s blog.