Early Autumn

[Evening thunder]

I've had a bit of a 'theory' formed in my mind that recently the trees have thought it is slightly later in the year than it actually is. Last year we actually had a very cool night for the time of year at the end of August, reaching 3.0C here with ground frost visible in the odd patch! (more like late September), then at the end of September further very cool night's with a air frost, min -0.1C (More like October). October had some frosty nights of -2.7C and -2.8C.

Then of course we had the severe cold setting in early in late November, lasting through December, which was the severest of the year (may have seemed more like mid-winter to the plants?). January unusually was over 4C warmer than December, then February was a few degrees warmer again being very mild! Surely this may have tricked things to some extent that spring had arrived with February over 7C warmer than December (Dec CET: -0.7C, Feb CET: 6.4C).

After this march was more normal but had some warm sunny days, warmer than the last few here, Then there was the warmest April on record with an average temp above May's normal average and some very warm sunny spells you would normally only see further into summer. This made many of the trees come into leaf early around here in April. Since then June and July have been below normal average temp wise.

I find this interesting and would have thought this may have made trees etc be ahead of normal through the year? Though I'm interested in plants/trees and how they respond to weather but am in no way an expert so someone may tell me that all of this doesn't affect them in this way. It would be interesting to hear others thoughts on this.

Things mostly seem normal and green around my neck of the woods, though I thought they looked a slight bit more autumnal before warmer weather at the end of July/start of August oddly enough. I think things are fruiting a bit earlier than normal though.

Over on this side of the North Sea there is no sign of autumn at all. What we have is a wetter than normal summer, a few degrees over the 1961 - 90 norm. The cereal harvest got underway pretty much as normal, though I notice there are still fields of standing oil seed rape.

Interestingly, we do have many roadside trees that suffered terribly at the amount of rock salt spread about the roads last winter. Unlike the Danes I cannot recall the numbers - Danes love to quote statistics - but it was reported this spring that a great many trees might very well die, such was the level of roadside salt pollution.

Really one of my pet hates the amount of rock salt used on UK roads as well. The damage and after mess is all there to see. In Austria, rock salt is used mainly on the main Auto -routes where there is little tree planting to be affected by the salt spray. Most small towns and villages use quarry chippings for grip and results in no slush. The chippings are simply swept up ater the thaw and re-cycled for the next snowfall. Nothing worst than slush !

C

Interesting these posts because last January and in particular December I wondered what effect all this salt would have on the roadside plants. I didn't really like it either and it certainly didn't look very nice with grey/black stained snow at the sides of the roads (and black grass when it was frosty but not very snowy) I also wondered whether it would have an effect on water courses with the melt and following rain washing it into the soil but also into the river systems. I guess this was mainly washed out to sea before the main spring growth?

I haven't noticed any obvious signs of damage on roadsides and both times the grass and trees returned to their normal green into the spring + summer, though I forgot and don't think I've looked specifically this year

[Alan Robinson]

What I suspect is more to do with the continuing dry weather autumn has already started here. Trees are turning yellow as are the larger bushes such as hawthorn. Is the same happening where you are?

I just wondered, is it a wide variety of species you have noticed? You see, I keep fairly detailed records about my kitchen garden, and so far this year events are occurring pretty much on cue. My onions for example flop over on almost the exact same date every year, and the broad beans start flowering very predictably. Parsley seed begins to drop off the plant round about the third week in August every year, despite the conditions. Maybe someone can enlighten me on this, but my suspicion is that the habits of many common species are to a large extent a reaction to changing daylength.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Alan Robinson

[roys]

autum will start when there is less than 14 hours of day light a day all plants react to the amount of light they receive

[Alan Robinson]

autum will start when there is less than 14 hours of day light a day all plants react to the amount of light they receive

Autumn is a human artifice, and astronomically, it begins at the autumn equinox. Of course all plants react to the amount of light they receive, but it is certain that they react differently according to their species. I am presently planting out spinach that we will harvest next spring. This autumn, it will grow very slowly. I am also right now planting lettuce and two varieties of oriental brassica, and these will grow this autumn at a great pace until they are singed by frost.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Alan Robinson

[Snow Leopard]

If the Arctic Amplification continues to treat us to early winter Arctic Air then I see the return to snow chains/winter tyres for many of the drivers in the UK who had never driven in snow before. .....

Late Autumn (Sept/Oct)is when I switch to my winter tyres. Never needed winter rubber until 3-4 years ago. Last year I went even further and bought chains. Used them maybe 3-4 times over the last winter which was another first for me. All things being equal I have noticed that where I could get by with 4x4 drive on summer tyres over my regular routes in the highlands though the 1990's and early 2000's, I cannot now get through without my winter gear.....Just a casual observation.

[SP1986]

Yellowing leaves are probably down to the drier weather earlier in the year. Even if it's turned wet now, then some leaves will have used up their energy in the drier weather so it doesn't matter whether it's raining or not.

The principle is the same as Autumn, but I suspect most of the yellow leaves are yellow due to the arid conditions earlier on in the year rather than loss of leaves triggered by faded light/lowering temperatures.

There are no yellow leaves here though, which is a surprise, given how dry it has been this summer.

[Cheshire Freeze]

It's funny because I have seen trees (not on a widespread scale admittedly) which are displaying autumnal characteristics already. By this I mean trees with leaves which are turning exuberant colours of yellow, orange and crimson, just like they would start to do in late September.

[mushymanrob]

i have a lime tree in a school i maintain that is very much on the turn, its pretty yellow, ok these are early trees, and this 30 years old is in decent soil (so should be moist) but this is very early...

[Alan Robinson]

Well I had a mooch about this island yesterday in the pouring rain, and with some effort I did manage to spot a single horse chestnut tree that is beginning to turn colour. Autumn here is the time when, statistically, we get most precipitation, and yet June, July, and the first third of August 2011 are all far wetter than the average autumn. This summer will go down in the record books as wet, wet, wet!

[Ladyofthestorm]

Yellowing leaves are probably down to the drier weather earlier in the year. Even if it's turned wet now, then some leaves will have used up their energy in the drier weather so it doesn't matter whether it's raining or not.

The principle is the same as Autumn, but I suspect most of the yellow leaves are yellow due to the arid conditions earlier on in the year rather than loss of leaves triggered by faded light/lowering temperatures.

There are no yellow leaves here though, which is a surprise, given how dry it has been this summer.

This is very true,dry Springs can really stress leaves, that and a wet warmish summer can aslo encourage various pests onto the leaves, causing the leaves to turn early. .

[russ49]

i was out picking Elderberry's on the Humber bank yesterday, i noticed that the blackberrys have finished and most fruit trees are just ready and quite a lot of trees are starting to turn, one sign i have not seen or heard yet are the huge flocks of geese that had already started coming in this time last year

[cyclonic happiness]

It's been so dry here that the plants are turning and dropping like mad! some areas you could mistake for early october, never mind mid august!!!

[cheeky_monkey]

The trees have begun to turn here already 2 weeks earlier than normal..and it has been a very wet summer so dry isnt the cause..trees tend to turn and lose their leaves all within 4 weeks here...so by my reckoning there will be no leaves on the trees before the end of September

Edited August 17, 2011 by cheeky_monkey

[SP1986]

No such orange leave here.

I don't think daylight hours are the defining reason for leaves to fall off.. the reason I say this is if it was then they'd all fall of at a set time.

Instead I'd propose it's mixture of temperatures, rainfall and daylight.

For example in 2002-2007 leaves would often turn at the end of October, and into November in some extreme cases with brown leaves hanging on well into December.. however the last few years they have started turning in September and have fallen off by mid November..

[picog]

The trees have begun to turn here already 2 weeks earlier than normal..and it has been a very wet summer so dry isnt the cause..trees tend to turn and lose their leaves all within 4 weeks here...so by my reckoning there will be no leaves on the trees before the end of September

The leaves are changing colour here too, but with the exception of June, it's been really dry every month this year.

[ZONE 51]

round here in Surrey the trees are tinting early, but the one that stands out-as impressive as it is-its the Conker tree, these are on the way for the drop already, but not just the leafs, the conkers themselfs are large and spiky and i would think their be cracking soon!

[Northernlights]

Also saw leaf colour change here at the end of July here on the usual trees that have always turned colour first in previous years.Early very warm dry start to spring maybe the reason.

Very easy now to see that most of the trees in this area are turning to their autumn colours now . Previous photos from years gone by show that this stage is not normally reached until the end of September when the fields are harvested.

[Alan Robinson]

I just thought I'd put that my plum tree has decided that's enough for 2011, and the first leaves have begun to drop off. Lovely late summer weather over here.

[Snowyowl9]

The rowan trees turned red in august never known that early before.

[DeepSnow]

Just looked on the meto and was nice to finally see this:

UK Outlook for Wednesday 21 Sep 2011 to Wednesday 5 Oct 2011:

Across the country temperatures are likely to be close to or just above average at first, but these becoming gradually below average, particularly across parts of England and Wales, where the first frosts of the autumn are possible in rural areas. However there are still likely to be some warm days at times, especially in the south and east.

Looks like our cool nights and frosts could be only a few weeks away!

[Sprites]

Just spotted a swift from the garden, yes it was flying south against a backdrop of altocumulus.

[sundog]

It wont be long now till the little squirrels will be going mad for their nuts.

[Rob]

Trees are slowly beginning to turn those wondering warm and vibrant autumnal colours, I really do love Autumn!

[Alan Robinson]

Early autumn? Nah. I saw Orion this morning, just where it is supposed to be.

[jethro]

Just been sitting outside enjoying the warm evening and was surprised to see Swallows flying over-head. They were coming over in waves of 10 - 20 birds at a time, must have been close on a couple of hundred flew over in the time it took to down a coffee and have a fag, all heading in a SE direction so clearly off for the winter.

I thought they'd all gone by now, are they late, anyone else still seeing them?