MARSHALL COUNTY, Ind. -- Nothing quite gets people in the fall mood than cooler mornings, and the trees changing color, and on this autumnal equinox, Michiana has at least one of them.
“Once we start reaching the temperatures into the upper 30s, 40s, 50s, that's going to signal that tree that it's going to start entering its dormancy period for the winter. So therefore, that tree is going to start shutting itself down, entering that dormancy, which then you'll start seeing the vibrant colors," said Brieanna Slonaker from the Marshall County Purdue Extension Office.
If you’ve been driving around Michiana or the greater Great Lake region you may have noticed a couple pops of color on the side of the road.
This doesn't mean we're going to be seeing the peak fall colors any earlier than usual, however.
“There are a couple tree species such as your sugar maples, sumacs, and sassafrases that do start changing in mid to late September. However, if we go any earlier than that, sometimes that change in color can be an indicator of stress that that tree might be receiving.”
Slonaker says that the biggest stressor on these trees this year was the abundance of rain in August, particularly south of US 30.
Wet soil could restrict oxygen intake on the root system, especially if the tree is already near a structure that prevents its root system from reaching its full potential.
Besides the wetter summer, most of the conditions Michiana has seen this year are ideal for longer-lasting fall foliage.
“We would like to see rain early on in the spring, get some rain showers throughout the summer to keep it up, not quite in a drought, and then it gets dry right in August, and then here in mid-September, late September, we would like a nice rainfall to happen, and then that is how it's going to prolong those leaves.”
Even though the wet conditions may put some stress on trees in our area, we are still expecting to see the peak colors through the end of October, though some trees could start turning in the next couple of weeks.