Why Are Leaves Falling Off My Tree in the Summer?

During the hot summer months when the sun is shining brightly, lots of homeowners get confused when they see leaves falling off their normally green trees too soon. If you’re asking yourself, “Why are my tree leaves falling off early?” don’t worry, because Accurate Tree Services and H & H Arborists are here to explain why this might be going on. In this article, we’ll talk about the many reasons why leaves might drop early and give you tips on how to take care of your yard when this happens.

Heat and Drought Stress

The constant summer heat and long periods without rain can really stress out trees. To cope, they might drop their leaves earlier than usual to save water. River Birches, especially, are trees that are known for losing their leaves when it gets hot during the summer.

What You Can Do: To help trees deal with the challenges of heat and lack of rain, make sure you water them enough when it’s dry outside. Giving them water regularly will really help keep them healthy and their leaves looking bright and colorful.

Fungal Disease

During rainy spring and summer times, trees like crabapples often get sick from fungal diseases like Apple Scab and Cedar Apple Rust. These diseases make the trees weak and they end up dropping their leaves earlier than they should.

What You Can Do: Applying fungicide, especially during early stages of infection, can control the spread of the disease and protect the health of your trees.

Insect Infestation

Hungry caterpillars that don’t belong can quickly eat up all the leaves on a tree. This doesn’t just make the tree look bad, but it can also make the tree less healthy and strong.

What You Can Do: If you ever notice the signs of an infestation on your tree, it’s important to seek professional help quickly to protect the long-term health of your landscape.

Tree Decline

Tree decline is when a tree starts to get less healthy and show various changes. One thing you might notice is that it drops its leaves earlier than usual. When a tree isn’t as strong as before, it deals with this by letting go of its leaves sooner.

What You Can Do: Getting a professional tree assessment from a certified arborist is your best course of action. They can pinpoint the root cause of the problem and create a plan of action.

Other Common Tree Problems

Summer isn’t the only time of year that you may notice unhealthy symptoms in your tree, including excessive leaf dropping. Some other common tree health problems that occur throughout the year include:

• Girdled roots:  These are roots that encircle the tree’s trunk, restricting the flow of water, nutrients, and essential substances, like a tight vice grip. As the tree struggles to nourish itself, it may resort to shedding its leaves prematurely as a desperate measure.
• Poor soil conditions: Soils with high clay content and elevated pH levels can exert significant stress on trees, ultimately leading to the distressing shedding of leaves. Clay soils have poor drainage, causing water to accumulate around the tree’s roots, leading to waterlogged conditions. Additionally, high soil pH levels can hinder nutrient absorption, depriving the tree of essential elements vital for healthy growth.

Your Local Tree Care Experts

Premature leaf drop is indeed a distress signal from your trees, indicating that something is amiss. Understanding the reasons behind this phenomenon empowers you to take timely action and support your trees through the harsh summer conditions. Whether it’s providing sufficient hydration, monitoring soil conditions, or something else, the experts at Accurate Tree Services have you covered.

Don’t wait for your trees to suffer further – reach out to Accurate Tree Services and H & H Arborists’ expert teams for a comprehensive assessment. Together, let’s nurture your trees and ensure they thrive throughout the seasons. Contact us today to get started!