No, autumn didn’t come early this year.
Here’s how to figure out the real reason tree leaves are turning brown.
But sometimes it seems like the leaves start turning too early and looking brown instead ofsporting typical autumn colors.
Credit: MediaNews Group, Boulder Daily Camera/Getty Images
What’s going on?
When hot, dry summer weather leaves you feeling parched and wilted, you canhave a refreshing drink.
Here’s how you’ve got the option to help your trees recover from leaf scorch.
Credit: Blaine Moats
What Causes Brown Leaves on Trees?
These include:
Sorting out exactly what’s going on is key to finding the right solution.
First, take a closer look at the affected leaves.
Sometimes only theleaf margin turns brown.
Sometimes the browning follows leaf veins.
And sometimes the entire leaf turns brown.
Was the leaf browning slow or sudden?
The first symptom of overwatering is a long period of yellow leaves.
Most trees are quite resilient, sowith the right careand time, they will likely rebound the following year.
Even if affected by leaf scorch, natives tend to bounce back easier.
When you have the opportunity toadd a new tree to your landscape, choose a native species.
Cause: Dry soil and drought.
Check the soil around your tree by using a garden trowel to dig down 18 or so inches.
If the soil is dusty and crumbly, the tree is drought stressed.
Solution: Water the tree.
Cause: Overly moist soil.
Solution: Assess your watering schedule.
Irrigation systemscan become too much of a good thing for trees.
Turn off irrigation zones around the affected tree.
Remove mulch around the tree to encourage the soil to dry faster.
Check the soil again in a few days to verify it is no longer soggy.
Cause: Limited or damaged root system.
Young or newly planted trees dry out much faster than established plants due to their developing root system.
Solution: Time and adequate watering.
Add a layer of mulcharound the tree to help conserve soil moisture.
Newly planted trees often look a little rough with a few dead leaves during the first year.
Making sure to give them enough water will help them come back stronger the following year.
Cause: Fungal or bacterial diseases.
Symptoms can look a lot like weather-related leaf scorch.
