red maple changing colors in September - Ask Extension
Valley View Farms planted a red maple about a month ago. In mid-September, some of the leaves started to change color. Per their instructions, I hav...
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red maple changing colors in September #887119
Asked October 04, 2024, 4:10 AM EDT
Valley View Farms planted a red maple about a month ago. In mid-September, some of the leaves started to change color. Per their instructions, I have been watering the tree using a tree watering bag every other day. Should the leaves be turning this early in the season?
I tried attaching a couple photos - less than 500 KB - and your site just spins and spins and never saves my question.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Trying to attach a photo.
Attaching the photos after I posted the question seems to be working.
I took the attached photos Oct 3.
We received the photos, thank you. It's not unusual for recently-planted trees and shrubs to develop early fall color as a result of transplanting stress. Even the most careful planting job can still damage some roots and cause the plant some stress. Nothing can reverse early fall color once it gets started, but as the plant establishes and settles in, in future seasons, premature color is less likely unless the growing season's weather itself is a source of stress, as this year's drought has been for plants already in the ground.
Hopefully the installers loosened the root ball (if the tree was in a pot) or removed burlap and twine or wire (if balled and burlapped / B&B), and planted it at the right depth. You can inspect the trunk base to see if the root flare is visible or very close to the soil surface to check, since planting depth is an important factor in long-term tree health, especially for maples that tend to produce roots closer to the soil surface than some other trees. The root flare wont' be very prominent on a tree this young, but it is still present and detectable. You can find more information about what to look for in the linked pages above.
The small amount of leaf spot browning on the foliage is also typical and not a concern; many trees and shrubs develop leaf spot infections (caused by a wide range of fungi or bacteria) as the leaf ages and gets ready to shed. They don't impact long-term plant health and can be ignored.
The watering frequency you describe sounds a bit high, though using a watering bag that drips water slowly into the root zone is a good practice. A young tree may indeed need about 20 gallons of water per irrigation, but might not need it that often, especially if the soil is not sandy and very well-drained. Feel the soil about four to six inches deep in or next to the root ball and water again only once the soil becomes somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. (If the soil is damp at that depth when checked, watering can wait.) As the weather cools (especially overnight), that frequency might be closer to once a week rather than every other day. Red Maple is more forgiving than most trees regarding wetter soil, but avoiding over-watering helps to make sure that the roots get enough oxygen to stay healthy. (The soggier the soil, the less oxygen it holds, since roots do need to "breathe.") Our Watering Trees and Shrubs page provides guidance.
Miri
Hopefully the installers loosened the root ball (if the tree was in a pot) or removed burlap and twine or wire (if balled and burlapped / B&B), and planted it at the right depth. You can inspect the trunk base to see if the root flare is visible or very close to the soil surface to check, since planting depth is an important factor in long-term tree health, especially for maples that tend to produce roots closer to the soil surface than some other trees. The root flare wont' be very prominent on a tree this young, but it is still present and detectable. You can find more information about what to look for in the linked pages above.
The small amount of leaf spot browning on the foliage is also typical and not a concern; many trees and shrubs develop leaf spot infections (caused by a wide range of fungi or bacteria) as the leaf ages and gets ready to shed. They don't impact long-term plant health and can be ignored.
The watering frequency you describe sounds a bit high, though using a watering bag that drips water slowly into the root zone is a good practice. A young tree may indeed need about 20 gallons of water per irrigation, but might not need it that often, especially if the soil is not sandy and very well-drained. Feel the soil about four to six inches deep in or next to the root ball and water again only once the soil becomes somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. (If the soil is damp at that depth when checked, watering can wait.) As the weather cools (especially overnight), that frequency might be closer to once a week rather than every other day. Red Maple is more forgiving than most trees regarding wetter soil, but avoiding over-watering helps to make sure that the roots get enough oxygen to stay healthy. (The soggier the soil, the less oxygen it holds, since roots do need to "breathe.") Our Watering Trees and Shrubs page provides guidance.
Miri
