SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – The First Alert Weather Team has been busy this summer keeping an eye on our ever-changing weather. The Ozarks have seen a lot of changes this season between cool and wet days and our usual heat and humidity.
Sara Wallace has lived in Springfield for several years and is very familiar with our ever-changing weather. But there is one sight she is unfamiliar with: leaves on the ground.
“As far as I can remember, I definitely don’t remember seeing anything this early,” Wallace said. “I don’t really see it up in the trees. I see it on the ground and I’m just thinking, I need to mow this already. I need to get to the leaves earlier than usual.”
Some even expressed concern that falling or discolored leaves now could be a sign of poor tree health. Fortunately, Kay Frazier, general manager of Carson’s Nurseries, identified the cause as the stress of our changeable summer weather.
“Plants draw a lot of water from their leaves,” Frazier says. “So if they have a dry spell and can’t absorb enough water and release more water than they take in, they suffer.”
This stress triggers leaf loss. However, it is a survival mechanism that prevents further water loss and allows the tree’s roots to absorb the water they need. Regardless of the tree species and age, Frazier is not surprised that this is happening to some trees in the area.
While some younger trees might benefit from a little special fertilizer or root stimulant, Frazier stresses that watering twice a week when temperatures are above 30 degrees really helps.
“Water your trees and their roots thoroughly,” Frazier says. “You can’t just give them a little water every day. That’s no good. The root ball needs to be saturated, and that’s what we’re promoting the most right now. You can’t just rely on sprinklers or rain. Trees are living things. You need to take care of your trees and maintain them.”
While Frazier stresses that most of the calls and visits she receives about leaf loss are weather-related, this year she has also experienced a severe bagbearer infestation. She explains how to identify and deal with bagbearer leaf loss.
“With bagworms, you’ll see signs of Frazier’s leaf loss,” Frazier says. “As the leaves have fallen, you’ll sometimes see them hanging from the trees, leaving the trunk and main vein of the leaves behind. If bagworms are a problem, you can pick off any worms you can reach, bag them and dispose of them. There are also products available that can be sprayed as a treatment. Although these treatments are applied around June 1 each year, you can still spray for them.”
For Wallace, it’s a relief for her garden to hear that the weather, and not sack caterpillars, is to blame for some of her leaves falling off.
“I’m glad they’re healthy and not falling over in my house or anything. I’m just worried when a few things are a little bit different.”
Nursery experts also advise that if you are unsure if your trees are healthy or suffering from stress or unwanted pests, take a photo or video and stop by the nursery where they can diagnose what is going on and take the right measures to keep your trees healthy.
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