Tri-Cities, Did Your Trees Suddenly Drop Leaves Today? This is Why!

I came home for lunch and noticed something kinda strange as I pulled into my driveway. Did you notice all your trees dropped most of their leaves today also? Turns out there is a good reason why.

The Trees in My Yard Dropped Most of Their Leaves Today

Today in Tri-Cities(11-11-22), all the trees in my yard dropped most of their leaves at once. There was a huge pile of leaves around each tree that wasn't there when I left for work in the morning. Believe it or not, there is a very good reason for this.

Why Did All My Trees Drop Their Leaves at the Same Time?

My trees had lost a few leaves, but 9/10ths of the leaves fell off between the time I left for work this morning and lunch. Last night we had the first really cold night of the season with a low of 23 degrees according to my car. I think there were one or two other mornings with frost, but not as cold as this morning. Turns out the cold is the reason.

Why Do Deciduous Trees Lose Their Leaves After Frost?

Most trees will drop their leaves after the first hard frost "abscission" according to Gardening After 5. Trees form this abscission layer between the leaf and the branch that eventually cuts the leaf off from water and nutrients. When the plant encounters a hard frost, the layer cuts the leaf off from the rest of the plant and is dropped soon with light wind or movement.

Why Your Trees Dropping Their Leaves is a Good Thing

If your tree is not healthy and has not developed the abscission layer yet, the tree leaves can freeze on the tree. Having your leaves all fall off at the same time shows the tree had developed its layer and was ready for the winter change. A tree with frozen leaves still attached is susceptible to branches breaking from the extra weight or eventually possible infection. Seeing all the leaves fall off your trees at once can seem alarming, but it is a good thing. Now you just have to rake them, or let them blow away!