When something is wrong, you can communicate your symptoms quickly and efficiently by talking to your doctor. But trees obviously don’t possess the gift of spoken language, so they communicate in other ways. If you’ve noticed any of these changes in your trees’ leaves, they might be attempting to tell you something. Pay attention, and you can preserve their health.
Leaves are turning sooner than expected. We all look forward to the brilliant colors of fall, but if deciduous tree leaves begin to turn yellow, gold, or brown throughout the summer this could be a sign of stress or disease. The culprit could be simple dryness, in which case watering your tree should preserve its lush green leaves. But if your trees are getting enough water and the leaves are still taking on an unexpected hue, this could be a sign of insect infestation or disease. Call a tree expert to diagnose the situation before the damage is permanent, or spreads to more trees in your yard.
The leaves aren’t changing. Sometimes the opposite problem happens, and autumn arrives without the long-anticipated explosion of color. In California this is often due to a long summer, and is not a sign of a serious problem. Your trees just don’t realize that it’s fall yet. But continue watering your trees if the summer has been a hot and dry one.
Leaves are falling in late summer. Yes, we expect certain trees to lose their leaves in the fall. But if those leaves begin to drop sooner than October or November, it doesn’t mean that autumn is arriving sooner. In many cases this happens because your trees are suffering from a long, dry summer (usually those that prefer a cooler, more Northern climate). If you begin to notice these signs of stress in late summer or early fall, watering the tree will help to keep it healthy.
Much of the time, the problems communicated by a tree’s leaves are simple and easy to remedy. But if you suspect a tree is dying, it could become a hazard quite quickly. Give us a call to discuss whether tree trimming services can help with your situation, or if you might need to remove the tree entirely to keep your home and family safe.
