IF FOLKS ONLY KNEW
HOW MANY
Minutes of Thinking
Hours of Digging
Days of Sunshine
Weeks of Coaxing
Barrels Of Fuel Oil
Tons of Material
Pounds of Fertilizer
Bushels of Rich Soil
Gallons of Water and
Inches of Backache
IT TAKES TO PRODUCE
A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE
They Would Gladly Make The Investment

BEYOND THE AUTUMN EQUINOX:

Now that the autumn equinox has passed us by the days become shorter the nights longer, and the sun sets low in the sky with cool crisp temperatures. This is in part how nature tells all deciduous plants that they’ve stored plenty of food and energy during the summer months and it’s now safe to let go. Their leaves have worked hard and are no longer needed for the long coming winter. It’s again a time of dormancy until the spring equinox returns for that sudden flush of a tree’s life cycle.

The compelling process that a living plant uses to create and store energy for its winter dormancy begins with those rainy days in spring and sunny days of summer. The green color in a leaf called chlorophyll, is this amazing natural mechanism that helps draw in sunlight and carbon dioxide gasses into the plant, creating what is called photosynthesis which converts light, co2 along with water into sugar-glucose, energy to feed the plant through out the year. When the plant builds up enough food to survive summer it then stores the glucose in polymer compounds (a union of small molecules) as starch, which is a complex carbohydrate. These carbohydrates help to feed the plant through its winter resting time. This is the only time the plant gets its break from all of that hard work done in photosynthesizing.

Evergreens on the other hand are partially protected by their sugar-enriched sap, which acts like antifreeze. Unlike deciduous leaves, the evergreen needles have a smaller surface area and contain fewer pores. This helps to hold the moisture in on those cold dry winter days. The broad leaf evergreens have a type of wax on their leaves, which also helps to hold in moisture. This all helps enable evergreens to conserve water while still taking in sunlight and co2 for photosynthesis energy.

Certainly one nice thing about all of that photosynthesizing is it creates a byproduct from water called oxygen which is of course an essential part of life on earth.

Autumn creates an astounding show of fall color, from the incredible northeastern hardwood forest to the modest well-planted garden. The green chlorophyll in a leaf     disappears when there is no longer an abundant amount of sunlight, water or co2, the components necessary for photosynthesis. The green fades as the brilliant yellows and dazzling orange pigments emerge; these bright colors have been partially there all along hidden by the green chlorophyll. Reds and purples come from the glucose trapped in the leaf; the sunlight and cool nights turn the sugars in the leaf into radiant hues of red or purple. The earthy brown leaves are wastes left over from the long process the plants have gone through to create food and energy.

As children play in the leaves with out a care in the world, and the crisp cool air awakens your senses, keep in mind fall is by far the best time to plant trees, shrub and perennials. If we plant now, the plants are resting, and require very little food for energy. The advantage to   an autumn plant installation is that when the spring thaw arrives their roots are already in the ground busy gathering nutrients from the soil to start that amazing circle of growth, winter, spring, and summer and back to fall again. Plant for life.

Allow your landscape to broaden this fall with the help of a professional contractor who cares about the health and beauty of natures growing environment. Keep in mind that autumn is a good time for all kinds of plant installation and landscape construction. If you are having trouble with ideas on what can help enhance and beautify your gardens, or simply need help with design or creative methods to expand your outdoor living space, please don’t hesitate to call and set up a free consultation.

Thank you for viewing our website this fall.
Enjoy the Autumn Season.
Plant today to help keep the world a greener place.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards, David Phillips
Owner-operator of Phillips/Scott Landscaping