Changing Tree Colors Due to Drought and Heat Stress

While recent rainfall has put a damper on the summer’s drought, the effects of the dry conditions are not going unnoticed. You might have already spotted the signs of fall setting in as leaves slowly change color. While this is a normal process before winter, the reason behind the premature fall foliage is the extreme summer drought conditions.

The lack of water and the stress it has placed on trees during the hot summer months has led trees to weaken, making them more susceptible to insect infestations and diseases. In order to combat this weakness and avoid any additional harm, trees are shutting down and becoming dormant much earlier than usual, causing their leaves to change color.

While there is nothing you can do to stop your trees from becoming dormant earlier in the season, there are ways to help prepare them for the coming winter and the following spring. Continue to water your trees – building up their water intake helps trees remain strong throughout the winter to avoid disease and insect susceptibility in the spring. Watering in the early fall is especially important if there is low snow cover throughout the winter. Proper watering is even more important for trees less than three years old, as they are not strong enough to prepare for winter without some help.

Tree health is as important as ever after the extreme heat and drought conditions this summer. Keep watering your trees and if you have any additional concerns, call an arborist for help!

For more information, or to talk with an arborist, please call First Choice Tree Care at 262-242-1274 or visit our website: www.firstchoicetreecare.com.