Early fall? Or maybe not…

[Gustavo Martins]

Quite interesting. Some of my trees, one Chinese elm, the liquidambar are showing fall colour already, whereas others are still pushing new growth. Still warm and humid here but night temperatures have decreased a bit.

 

[Paradox]

We have started to get cooler temperatures at night lately and I've started to see signs of trees in my area starting to change.

I don't think it is an early fall.
The timing seems about right.
It is mid to late September after all

 

[August44]

I think a lack of moisture and intense heat can create changes in trees that resemble fall also. Always love fall for the colors and dancing leaves...

 

[Paradox]

I think a lack of moisture and intense heat can create changes in trees that resemble fall also. Always love fall for the colors and dancing leaves...

Yea you guys out west have been pretty dry.
Meanwhile over here on the east coast we have had a pretty wet and rainy summer

 

[Gustavo Martins]

We have started to get cooler temperatures at night lately and I've started to see signs of trees in my area starting to change.

I don't think it is an early fall.
The timing seems about right.
It is mid to late September after all

Not in my area. We seldom get any fall colour here and deciduous only start shedding their leaves much later, around December. Hence my surprise.

 

[Katie0317]

There's no such thing as fall colors where we live.

 

[penumbra]

There's no such thing as fall colors where we live.

Green on green.

 

[Katie0317]

Green on green.

Yep, that's it. Who wouldn't love to see fall colors though?

I'm not complaining though. We have two seasons here...6 months of heaven and 6 months of hell. Heaven is just around the corner so that's something to look forward to!

 

[penumbra]

I love Florida in mid February .... early spring there. Strawberry festival is great. Would love to come down there again.

 

[August44]

There's no such thing as fall colors where we live.

You need to move out of there! You are missing something that is unbelievable.

 

[Katie0317]

I've never even gone. The berries are so good though! It's only about an hour away from us. If you go again, Artisan's bonsai nursery is right there. His yamadori are worth seeing.

February is our coldest month so it's not quite early spring, that would be March. But honestly it's all spectacular. I'm a native of this state and honestly the summers are no joke. It's brutal. But to be honest the other six months are like heaven on earth.

@August44, I love Oregon too. It's a beautiful state! But Florida is home and the beach is my happy place so it all works out. I mean strawberries growing right off the road in town during February? It's sweet. Just don't come in August, you'll regret it.

 

[Shibui]

Quite interesting. Some of my trees, one Chinese elm, the liquidambar are showing fall colour already, whereas others are still pushing new growth. Still warm and humid here but night temperatures have decreased a bit.

I would be surprised if this is actually fall color. As already mentioned, stress can bring on early change. I often see this in one or a few trees so my guess is those 2 trees have had some issue - probably just not quite enough water so they are getting ready for an early dormancy hoping to survive until the rains return.
Early leaf drop and longer winter sleep does not seem to be a problem Most will grow again as normal next spring.

 

[rockm]

Heat stress, or some other kind of stress. From what I can see of the soil, could be a root problem.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

I would be surprised if this is actually fall color. As already mentioned, stress can bring on early change. I often see this in one or a few trees so my guess is those 2 trees have had some issue - probably just not quite enough water so they are getting ready for an early dormancy hoping to survive until the rains return.
Early leaf drop and longer winter sleep does not seem to be a problem Most will grow again as normal next spring.

It could be. I don’t know. There is nothing in my methodology that changed or differs from the care I give to these and my other trees so I don’t know.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Heat stress, or some other kind of stress. From what I can see of the soil, could be a root problem.

Soil is akadama, pumice and lava. Very free draining. But it’s covered in clover. I need to spend more time weeding the pots. But I tend to leave it during the summer as it helps retaining some moisture I suppose.

 

[Shibui]

I have noticed that trees in shallow or small pots (for the tree size) can color earlier - those pots dry out more than larger and deeper pots.
Trees that are more root bound color earlier - harder to water and less spaces for water to store so those pots also dry out more.
Weeds provide shade on the soil so may reduce evaporation a little bit but more than make up for it by taking water from the soil.