Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Why are the trees still covered in leaves?

86 replies

SecondClassReturnToDottinghamPlease · 11/10/2023 00:24

I noticed when I was driving home tonight that the trees still look like it's summer, full of green leaves. They should be red/brown and falling by now. Is this because of climate change? What is the science behind this?

OP posts:
violetcuriosity · 11/10/2023 07:20

Ground is covered in conkers and horse chestnuts here in Suffolk. Leaves are definitely still green though.

APurpleSquirrel · 11/10/2023 07:21

I'm in the SW & a few trees are starting to turn, but we had temps if 22 degrees at the weekend. Plus a neighbours crab apple tree, which is full of apples is also producing blossoms again! The weather has been completely messed up this year & the trees don't know what month it is.
This weekend temps are down to 12 degrees, so a 10 degree drop & I expect a lot of trees will take the hint then.

DinosApple · 11/10/2023 07:21

The trees are never totally bare until late November here (East Anglia). It is something I've watched for for years.

However, the leaves aren't even changing colour yet - except for the horse chestnuts infected with the moth larvae. It's been a beautiful Autumn so far, much, much better than the soggy grey summer we experienced so maybe the trees are making up for lost time.

RoyKentFanclub · 11/10/2023 07:22

The weather is causing plant confusion here. I have strawberries on the go still and my lilac is trying to flower..

BlackJumpsuit · 11/10/2023 07:25

It's always affected by the kind of summer we have.

Most years it's November when the main leaf dropping action happens, where I live in the south anyway.

Last year it was early, as a pp said.

That's not to say that our summer weather isn't affected by climate change, it very much is.

fishfingersandtoes · 11/10/2023 07:28

Here in London it's usually a bit later than this. They usually stay on til well into November and come back in May.

puffylovett · 11/10/2023 07:38

I recall booking my wedding 20 years ago for the 10th October hoping for that blaze of autumn glory, and getting nothing but greenery with a bit of rust! Not unusual

Zebedee55 · 11/10/2023 07:39

The weather is very mild for the time of year.

TheTecknician · 11/10/2023 07:39

Monday and Tuesday were both good drying days on account of the mild temperatures and a fairly stiff breeze. I try to look on the bright side!

RaininSummer · 11/10/2023 07:47

I am still wearing Sumner dresses for work which is unheard of in October. Everything is running late this year.

Sheraprincessofflower · 11/10/2023 08:01

The leaves always turn much later than I expect them to - I think this every year. I do think they’re a little later than usual this year though and that will be due to the very wet summer followed by mild temperatures now. The temperature drops in a few days so they’ll change quickly a few days after that.

Kam610 · 11/10/2023 08:06

I'm in the North East of Scotland and the leaves are definitely changing here and falling off but it's been a lot cooler up here apart from yesterday when it was 21c. Today is a lot cooler and only meant to be 10 degrees all day.

Charlattanus23 · 11/10/2023 08:10

The seasons have all slipped. But we're all persisting in living as if it's normal. I used to think the worst of climate change would be after my time. Not any more. Still, new oil and coal fields, eh. All a myth as long as the mates of the powerful continue to get richer and richer before they all scuttle off to their bunkers in New Zealand or North California or wherever.

RaisinsOfMildAnnoyance · 11/10/2023 08:48

It changes from year to year. Back in mid- Nov 2001 leaves were in full autumn colours, very few had dropped (we had lovely wedding pics!). The next year was much colder and all the trees were bare for our anniversary.

I'm not saying climate change isn't real, but just be wary of faulty memories.

isittheholidaysyet · 11/10/2023 08:50

Our garden has a couple of massive oak trees. Plus lots of other trees.

We never bother picking up leaves till January. They have never properly fallen till then.

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 11/10/2023 09:00

I've just looked through old photos and I've got green trees in late October from last year. Its early November i can see trees with brown leaves. I only checked for the last 3years but late September early October they are all still green

SnapdragonToadflax · 11/10/2023 09:08

It's been too warm. However, trees don't really start to turn properly nowadays until late October - the seasons have definitely shifted a bit later. Last year the trees turned early because of the drought. Late October/early November after the first frost is really when the main leaf fall happens. I've just checked photos I took of our local woodland two years ago, and everything was still very green.

We have a cold spell coming at the weekend so things will progress after that.

ichundich · 11/10/2023 09:10

isittheholidaysyet · 11/10/2023 08:50

Our garden has a couple of massive oak trees. Plus lots of other trees.

We never bother picking up leaves till January. They have never properly fallen till then.

Oak trees are among the trees to last shed their leaves. They are also last to grow new ones in spring.

ichundich · 11/10/2023 09:14

This photo was taken in early October 7 years ago (South East).

Why are the trees still covered in leaves?
YorkieTheRabbit · 11/10/2023 09:46

I’m in Yorkshire and I raked up two huge sacks of leaves yesterday. It’s windy today and there’s loads more down 🍁

Ozgirl75 · 11/10/2023 09:50

I’m in Surrey and I’ve still got roses out! The chestnut tree in the garden is laden with cookers and there are a few signs of reddening leaves but we were at Petworth at the weekend and it was warmer than when we went in July.

BCCoach · 11/10/2023 09:53

23degC here yesterday (SE). Bit cooler today. It's still summer basically and with the wet June and July we had the leaves still have a lot of life left in them.

SirChenjins · 11/10/2023 09:56

They’re falling here - so presumably it’s because you live in a warmer part of the UK and haven’t had the necessary cold weather yet.

VillageFete · 11/10/2023 09:57

I’m in the North West and it’s very much Autumn here these last few days.

Lots of crunchy brown leaves on the ground and the trees are full of red and orange leaves. It’s only happened the last 3-4 days though.

It’s drizzly and 15 degrees today. I’ve had enough of the very warm weather and am hoping we are done with it now.

I recall when my daughter was a baby (She’s 14 now) It was 1st October and 30 degrees in my car. Unseasonably warm, even 13 years ago.

TheDuchessOfMN · 11/10/2023 09:58

It’s always been late October here when the majority of the leaves actually fall, even into November. I remember during storm Ophelia a few years ago, it was mid October and the meteorologist was saying that it was particularly dangerous because the trees had not yet shed their leaves.

My DD’s birthday is in late September. The photos show that the trees are still very green and only beginning to change.

My horse chestnuts are a lovely burnt orange at the moment. Cherry trees are pretty green. Fruit trees have dropped most of their leaves.
Maybe it depends on the tree.

Swipe left for the next trending thread