As a member of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program, Boulder is definitely a place in Colorado where trees are greatly appreciated. In fact, many residents and business owners here have an assortment of trees on their properties. If this applies to you, it’s understandable to be concerned if your trees start losing leaves in the middle of summer. Let’s go over some of the reasons why this could happen.
Drought-Stress
One of the more common reasons for a premature dropping of leaves is drought-stress. This simply refers to a lack of sufficient water due to long periods of hot, dry weather. Drought-stress is a likely reason for early leaf dropping if any of the following signs are also noticed:
- Extremely dry soil around affected trees
- Cracked soil immediately around trees
- Soil that’s really hard and difficult to dig up
- Leaves wilting or showing other signs of insufficient moisture
If drought stress is the likely source of the problem, you can remedy the situation by giving your trees a good soaking so the water has a chance to soften the soil and get down to the roots. Continue to do this regularly during longer periods of hot, dry weather. However, make an effort to water earlier in the day or later in the evening when it’s not as hot. Otherwise, some of your water could end up evaporating or being absorbed by the soil before it gets to the roots.
Too Much Water
You may also notice leaves falling from your trees in the middle of summer if you’re overwatering. In order to sufficiently absorb nutrients, tree roots need to dry out briefly between waterings. If the roots are overly saturated from too much water, they could end up dying. Look around your trees to see if the soil is noticeably saturated or squishy. If this is what you’re seeing, ease up on the watering or adjust your sprinklers.
Tree Pests or Diseases
Since they’re actively growing then, summer is a common time for trees to be affected by diseases or pests. Take a closer look at any of the affected trees. If you notice leaves coming off along with signs of damage from disease or pests, have your trees professionally inspected. If you have a strong desire to save your trees whenever possible, acting early when such issues are suspected often reduces the need for full tree removal.
Practice Proactive Tree Care This Summer
Reduce the risk of having significant issues with premature summertime tree leaf loss by regularly caring for your trees in Boulder, CO. This is something we can help you out with at Roots Up Tree Company. If you’re noticing any issues with your trees, give us a call. We’ll let you know what’s going on so appropriate steps can be taken to address any concerns and keep your trees healthy.
Contact us today for prompt, dependable local tree service.
