Most trees shed their leaves before hibernation. However, it so happens that this does not happen. And then summer residents are alarmed and do not know how to fix this situation. Let's try to figure it out together and identify the reasons for the non-falling foliage.
Why plants should fall off leaves
Leaf fall is a biologically necessary process for the formation and growth of many perennial crops. Before the leaves fall off, their color changes. Thus, in "naked" plants, there is a reduction in moisture evaporation, a decrease in the risk of breaking off branches, and, finally, the tree tolerates winter more easily.
In spring and summer, due to long daylight hours, chlorophyll is formed in large quantities in the leaves. With the onset of autumn, the volume of liquid in chloroplasts decreases. From this, the foliage turns yellow or becomes brown. The leaves become brittle and fall off.
Protection from excess salt volume can be attributed to the cause of leaf fall. During the summer, mineral salts accumulate in the leaves, which come together with the liquid. Some are used to feed the tree, while others are stored in the leaves.
After leaf fall, the plant goes into hibernation until spring.
Why foliage does not fall from trees and what is the risk
Without throwing off the leaves, the culture enters the winter weakened, unable to cope with seasonal functions. In such a state, the tree will not be able to withstand snowfall.
To save a plant, it is necessary to determine exactly why it did not shed its leaves.
Several reasons why crops cannot get rid of foliage:
- Early winter. With the onset of winter ahead of schedule, the trees do not have time to prepare for the cold.
- Incorrectly applied top dressing. Due to abundant or very late application of nitrogen fertilization at the end of the growing season, foliage growth can occur.
- Non-regionalized varieties. If you live in the northern regions, and have purchased a seedling suitable for a warm area, the tree will not have time to shed its leaves by winter.
- Excess moisture. A dry summer is replaced by a cold rainy autumn. In this case, when the tree is oversaturated with moisture, it does not have time to prepare for winter, the growth of the plant slows down.
- Incorrect pre-winter pruning. If the procedure is carried out incorrectly, young stems begin to grow actively, and if the culture is not insulated, the shoots will freeze.
- Diseases. Due to some diseases, the branches turn black with the foliage and do not fall off at the same time.
What to do if the leaves did not fall from the trees
If the foliage has not flown around, but at the same time has turned yellow, most likely, leaf fall will begin in the near future.
If the leaves remain green, try running your hand along the branch from the trunk to the tip. The foliage is easily detached, which means the growing season is over, and there is no need to worry.
If the leaves are present on one plant, most likely the reason lies in excessive feeding or improper pruning.
How can you help a plant with not fallen leaves?
Any tree needs help to cope with a difficult period. For this you need:
- remove foliage yourself;
- whitewash trees;
- wrap young seedlings with a covering material;
- mulch the trunk circle before freezing.
How to get rid of problems with shedding foliage in the future
To do this, you need to follow some tips:
- purchase zoned tree varieties for planting;
- carry out the correct feeding;
- do not get carried away by excessive watering;
- do your pre-winter pruning correctly.
Use of foliar shedding drugs
Some gardeners use defoliants if the fruit trees do not shed their foliage.
Solutions of special-purpose drugs cause artificial leaf fall. They penetrate the leaves, from their influence the foliage grows old and subsequently falls off.
But these drugs are dangerous drugs. They can damage the growth points, burns occur, and the viability of the plant will decrease.
Trees can be treated with urea solution (7%). When it gets on the leaves, the composition causes leaf fall. To do this, take urea (700 g) and dilute it in water (10 l), mix thoroughly and spray the trees.
It is up to you to decide whether to use these drugs. We must not forget about some of the side effects that negatively affect the health and quantity of crops.
Read also: Effective ways to deal with slugs in the garden
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