Why have trees lost their leaves

BenGraham

Has anyone else noticed how lots of hedges have turned brown and many trees have lost their leaves following storm udo back on the 23rd of May particularly around the north west. Before the storm most were green and covered with leaves, now its like autumn has come. I have never seen the trees looking so bare in month of June, i would guess it was caused by the salt in the air from the storm. Heres a few pictures from around the house, location is just outside donegal town. These pictures were all taken today 6th of June.





Ash trees seem to be the worst affected, see fallen leavens on the ground.








Even the thorne hedges have die. I know its only early in the summer, so everything will probably recover, but very strange for the time of year.


Anyone every remember anything like this happen before in summer and know what caused it.[/FONT]

BEASTERLY

What part of the country are you in? If its the east/south-east it's very possibble that a lack of rainfall has caused it.

Or else maybe a disease is causing it?

gally74

Tress a bit smarter than most. So they're getting ready for "2012" early.

It's the cold coupled with the high sustained winds

johngalway

Seen a lot of bracken, early stuff, which had the leaves burned off it by wind and salt. Stalks are dying as well, newer stuff is coming up - it's going to have a bad July though as I'll be spraying it :pac:

BenGraham

What part of the country are you in? If its the east/south-east it's very possibble that a lack of rainfall has caused it.

Or else maybe a disease is causing it?

South Donegal, just outside donegal town, no lack of rainfall up here over the past month thats for sure. Think it must have been the salt, because any trees in shelter are alright and it happened a few days after the storm.

Jimmy Garlic

It is salt spray that blew in of the Atlantic during the high winds we had. That killed the foliage.

eastmayo

its the same here in east mayo,new growth in my hedge and trees all look dead,think its to do with the warm april followed by cold may.

jprboy

This recent thread in the Gardening Forum is relevant:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056281611

Pangea

BenGraham wrote: »

South Donegal, just outside donegal town, no lack of rainfall up here over the past month thats for sure. Think it must have been the salt, because any trees in shelter are alright and it happened a few days after the storm.

Same here in Donegal, I thought it was the frost that did it here. The trees here never recovered yet , the forest beside me is all brown still :cool:

John mac

it was the wind. the leaves were only out an so very susceptible to the strong winds of 25 ish may. if it didnt rip the leaves off it burned them,

Aiel

Every Hedge in my estate in Galway City has lost its leaves.I noticed it in the last week.Ive never seen it happen before.

snowstreams

Yeah, same in my estate in galway. It seems that some trees have more dead leaves on one side of them and not the other.
The salt spray mustnt have been able to cover all of the leaves.

Pangea

snowstreams wrote: »

Yeah, same in my estate in galway. It seems that some trees have more dead leaves on one side of them and not the other.
The salt spray mustnt have been able to cover all of the leaves.

I noticed that actually after reading the thread, some of the trees are green on one side and brown on the other. The side facing the sea is brown.

Although separately my neighbours hedge was all brown a few months ago from the frost, nothing to do with the storm.

snowstreams

Pangea wrote: »

I noticed that actually after reading the thread, some of the trees are green on one side and brown on the other. The side facing the sea is brown.

Although separately my neighbours hedge was all brown a few months ago from the frost, nothing to do with the storm.

Yeah, plenty of hedges seem to have been killed off by the two harsh winters in a row. And now this sea spray blast isnt going to help them at all.

Hal1

I've seen conifers turn brown in summer, maybe it's the same thing :eek:.

Pangea

Seeing lots of leaves now falling. Will the leaves grow back during the summer or is that them finished until next spring? I'm no expert on how Mother Nature works I'm afraid.

planetX

Pangea wrote: »

Seeing lots of leaves now falling. Will the leaves grow back during the summer or is that them finished until next spring? I'm no expert on how Mother Nature works I'm afraid.

Most will grow new leaves, some species like Horse Chestnut won't as they put out their entire growth when the buds open. Most trees have their main growth spurt in the autumn. Wind scorch is a regular spring occurance in Ireland. Usually earlier though, when it takes off all the fruit blossom:mad:

Pangea

Wind scorched trees result of “exceptional storm”


Published on Thursday 9 June 2011 11:38

The aftermath of the recent violent storms that battered the northwest coast has left an impact of the county’s wild foliage - leaving some them with a scorched type appearance.

The normal seasonally green leaves on large swathes of trees, hedges, and bushes around the county have the look of having been scorched by fire since the high winds struck just over a week ago.

It is understood this “wind scorch” on native plants may cause many not to develop properly over the rest of the summer. It may also affect bird and insect life.

Deputy Regional Manager for the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the county, Dave Duggan, says the violent storms hit the “young foliage” at a very sensitive time in its development and some of it may not recover fully from the effects this year.

He believes it was the mixture of elements combined which caused the damage to plant life. “As a result of the extreme winds coming from the west, it certainly brought very strong gusts from the Atlantic. A lot of very soft vegetation was just blasted by very cold winds. The wind effect on the soft foliage would have been enough to kill some of it off. It’s also quite likely that there was a high level of salt mixed in through the gusts as well. So it was a combination of pure winds that were cold and salty.

“It affected Alder trees a day or two after the storm as they have a very fresh leaves on them. Also the windward side of Hawthorn trees and hedges, even Birch trees on their more exposed sides facing westerly, they are very noticeably brown,” he explained.

Dave says this could cause permanent damage for the rest of the season. “Some of them will have difficulty catching up on growth again over the summer and of course that will have an impact on insect and bird life and the food chain in general. It was a natural event but it was quite an extreme event from natures point of view and will need a bit of time to recover. It was an exceptional storm coming from the west,” he said.

Dave, who is based at Glenveagh National Park said the famous parkland only suffered “minor damage” during the recent bad weather.

http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/local/wind_scorched_trees_result_of_exceptional_storm_1_2756335

slowburner

Pangea wrote: »

Seeing lots of leaves now falling. Will the leaves grow back during the summer or is that them finished until next spring? I'm no expert on how Mother Nature works I'm afraid.

If these winds persist as they have been throughout May and June, there is strong chance that many plants will be killed outright. Some trees shed leaves in June (June Drop) and at this stage, they will, or should have a second growth of tender leaves. These leaves will be very susceptible to salt scorch. If these leaves are burned, the plant might not have enough energy (which it gets through its leaves) to recover.
I have heard worries from people on the west coast that there is something toxic in the air.
It's salt.
There is no doubt in my mind that the damage we see in the OP's pictures is salt scorch, caused by incessant, strong winds bearing salt inland from the Atlantic. Their strength and persistence has carried salt further inland and in greater quantities than ever before in living memory.
There is no similar damage on the East coast.

Does anyone know if the mean wind speed for May and early June has broken any records?

cherryghost

Our 2 days of warmth and sunshine was our Summer last week, its now Autumn and they're preparing for the worst :pac: