Why are my leaves turning color and dropping already?

Tree leaves in the Harrisburg area usually turn to their brilliant fall colors late in October and then drop in early to mid-November.

But many trees in home landscapes have been turning various shades of red, yellow, and brown for weeks now – and in many cases have been dropping them already.

What gives?

Blame it on the weather.

That string of hot, dry weather lasted long enough in some areas that stressed trees retreated toward dormancy prematurely.

It’s happening most often in areas that missed or got mere sprinkles from the region’s scattered August and early-September rainfalls.

As trees shut down their green-coloring, chlorophyll production in response to abnormally dry soil, other pigments in the leaves that produce yellow, red, and purple coloring began showing.

That’s the s