Walnut trees just dropping leafs - weather indicator?

[lhfarm]

We have lived with our 20+ walnut trees for 25 years now. This is the first time I've had to rake them before I picked up the walnuts. Normally, they have started falling in late August and my mowing has taken care of them. They hung on this year until last week and just all came down at once.

Anyone else seeing this? Any ideas of why or if this is part of a changing climate?

Thanks,

 

[rekees4300]

Probably too localized to blame it on climate change. Most likely just the heavy rainfall earlier this year caused the leaves/nuts to get out of sync this year. Walking the dog couple days ago and got hit on the top of the head by falling walnut ... not fun.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Agreed. This year has been so weird that, if this is what we call "climate" now, I'm moving to the International Space Station.

 

[MikeD74T]

Don't have much walnut experience, just one 20 year old tree, but our leaves started falling in the middle of August, seemed early. My wife's convinced the tree is dying & insists I cut it down. The tree is now bare but branches seem healthy. Squirrels got all the nuts. MikeD74T

 

[greasemonkeyok]

The tree that drops its leaves in dry weather is usually not dead, it just went into survival mode. The tree that keeps its leaves that turned brown is most likely dead.

 

[skipmarcy]

Our walnut trees in this part of Tenn. (north central) are just now dropping their leaves too, they are usually gone long before this time of fall - and our leaves usually fall before the nuts do but are also just starting to drop now too. We have alot of walnuts in this little part of Tenn. Also the sumacs along the sides of the roads are just now getting their scarlet red color too - they also are usually gone by this time. We're just now starting to get a little color in our maples, oaks, gums etc. too - the past 2 days they've really started getting pretty.

 

[joemd11]

Our walnut tree had a bumper crop of nuts this year. Seems like it did lose its leaves early. The tent worms were all over it too. I think next year it is getting the ax because I'm tired picking up all the nuts.

 

[lhfarm]

Don't have much walnut experience, just one 20 year old tree, but our leaves started falling in the middle of August, seemed early. My wife's convinced the tree is dying & insists I cut it down. The tree is now bare but branches seem healthy. Squirrels got all the nuts. MikeD74T

Mid August has been the normal time for leafs to begin to fall. I'm sure it is healthy, but if you decide to cut it, I'd find a buyer

Our walnut tree had a bumper crop of nuts this year. Seems like it did lose its leaves early. The tent worms were all over it too. I think next year it is getting the ax because I'm tired picking up all the nuts.

Here is my answer to picking up the walnuts - http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/154859-bag-nut-walnuts-follow-up.html The picker is the reason I was removing the leafs. It really works.

 

[DeeDubya]

The tree that drops its leaves in dry weather is usually not dead, it just went into survival mode. The tree that keeps its leaves that turned brown is most likely dead.

This is evident here in Texas with the drought. Some trees started dropping leaves in August, gradually shedding them as the drought continued. But some "not so hardy" trees like Hackberry just died with all the leaves still on. The all too abundant Cedars don't change in appearance. They can suck the moisture out of rocks. I think in a continued drought they would be the last to go.

 

[Chuck52]

I only have one black walnut here in mid-Missouri. Leaves are gone and most of the nuts went to the tree rats. I also have Carpathian walnuts and two of four have also lost their leaves. The squirrels didn't even wait for those nuts to get close to ripe before they grabbed them. On my place at least the mast crop looks bad this year. Tiny and few acorns. We have a bush that sets some red berries that the birds eventually eat....must be their last resort. This year they are gone already.

I don't think I lost any fruit or nut trees to the hot dry spell we had, but they sure didn't put on a lot of growth this year.

Chuck