July 30, 2025 10:20 a.m. 

The last weeks of July and August are reminders to water trees to help them get through the driest part of summer, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.

ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford said, “By the end of July, soils in Oregon are very dry. Coupled with long, hot days, this puts trees under a great deal of stress”. Oxford said, “Drought-stressed trees are vulnerable to pests, at risk from them losing their leaves early, and even dying”.

Oxford advises that trees three years and younger need about 15 gallons of water once a week, possibly more during the heat waves.

Oxford said, “What’s harder for many in western Oregon to grasp is that even older trees benefit from a deep waterings at least a few times during the summer”. Oxford said, “That’s why the last week of July and the last week of August have been designated as Soak it Weeks, to serve as reminders for urban homeowners to deeply water their trees at least once during those times”.

The release said rainfall in western Oregon is no longer reliable enough in spring and fall to get trees through the dry summer months in good shape. Oxford said, Higher average temperatures are especially hard on the many trees in Oregon cities that are native to places where it rains a lot in the summer, such as eastern Asia or the eastern U.S.”.

Oxford recommends that trees four to ten years old may need anywhere from 20 to 30 gallons every other week. Trees older than that may only need a deep soaking once a month

Watering in the morning or evenings is advised to reduce water loss from evaporation.

For more guidance from the Oregon Department of Forestry on watering trees, go to the ODF website at: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/pages/index.aspx