George Coombs, director of horticulture at Mt. Cuba botanical garden in Northern Delaware, says deciduous trees save energy by getting rid of the leaves in the fall.
But thanks to a weird weather pattern we've been stuck in for several weeks, "they're kind of doing the same thing now, but it's just that they've basically given up for the year a little early just because it's been so dry and they can't get the water that they need," he explained.
Coombs says it's a way for the tree to protect itself, and this shouldn't do it any long term harm. But he says it may throw a wrench in your leaf-peeping plans.
"The plants are getting so dry now that I'm afraid we're gonna start to lose a lot of leaves early or they're just not gonna be healthy enough to color up."
But there is an upside to the early leaf-drop, says Coombs: free mulch that you can rake onto your garden bed, "adding organic matter to your soil, adding nutrients to the soil, a great way to keep organic waste on your site, as well."
The nonprofit Mt. Cuba Center is hosting a Tree Festival on Sept. 28 that includes tree planting and pruning demonstrations, hayrides, live music and a native plant sale.