Our Canopy Lawn Care Pros are noticing signs of early leaf drop.

Trees can lose their leaves for a variety of reasons, but often when you see leaves beginning to turn brown during the late summer or early in the fall, it is due to environmental conditions. Leaves naturally begin shedding when cooler temperatures arrive. When a tree has received too much or too little water however, leaves may begin dropping early.

Drought Conditions Can Cause Early Leaf Drop

If your area has experienced drought conditions, it will not be surprising to notice the leaves on your trees beginning to brown out and drop early. This is a protective mechanism for your trees. The tree is trying to conserve water and recover from drought stress. To do so, it will shed leaves to limit the areas of the tree that water needs to reach.

Over-watered Trees Can Drop Their Leaves Early

Not unlike drought conditions, too much water can also play a part in trees dropping their leaves early. When you over water a tree, you can damage the root system. This makes it harder for the tree to absorb and pass nutrients to the leaves. Areas that have had excessive rainfall often see early leaf drop. If your tree has had too much water, you may notice the leaves turning yellow instead of brown before they fall.

In Canopy Lawn Care’s North Carolina service area, we have experienced both drought conditions and periods of excessive rain fall over the summer season. For this reason, we are not surprised to see leaves dropping early throughout the area.

Disease Can Cause Trees To Drop Their Leaves Early

Disease is another culprit for early leaf drop. However, when a tree is diseased, it can actually drop its leaves at anytime, not just a little too early in the season. If you notice spots on your leaves or specific areas of your tree that look like the leaves are beginning to die, your tree may have a disease. We recommend contacting a licensed arborist to properly diagnose any suspected tree problems.

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