The perennial nature of fruit production guarantees that an orchard is going to experience drought stress at some point. This same perennial nature means that drought stress experienced in one season can cause enduring effects that linger into the next production cycle. The most common form of drought stress experienced in Louisiana tends to be seasonal dry spells in July, August and September in northern and central regions of the state. This combined with the elevated temperatures during those periods can create stressful conditions that need to be ameliorated in some form.
The most common fruit in this category grown regularly in Louisiana is strawberries. When strawberries are grown commercially in south Louisiana, they rarely experience drought conditions during their normal annual production cycle. Those that stretch out the season longer for you-pick operations or grow them as a perennial are more likely to experience hot and dry conditions at some point.
Use these tips for minimizing stress in your late or perennial plantings:
Brambles (blackberries and raspberries), vines (muscadines and bunch grapes) and shrubby plant material (figs and mayhaws) fall into this category. Newly planted and young trees should also be treated the same until they reach a larger size.
Mature fruit and nut trees are included in this category. The daily water requirements vary greatly between tree type and maturity. Mature and large pecan trees may need up to 350 gallons of water per day for optimum production, but most trees will need much less than this.