It’s Finally Fall! Why Leaves Change Their Colors

Fall leaves in a mountain landscapeFootball season is in full force here in Middle Tennessee. Tennessee Titans, Vanderbilt and MTSU are all ready to play ball. And with the hysteria comes cooler nights and shorter days. That’s right folks, fall is settling in, which means Mother Nature’s tree decor is slowly changing colors. The changing colors of the trees is a beautiful backdrop to all of autumn’s activities. But exactly how do they change color and why do they eventually fall from their limbs? The answer is in the chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll is what gives leaves that rich green color during the summertime. When fall arrives, the weather cools down and the days become shorter, giving the leaves less access to sun and food. Because there are not enough resources for photosynthesis, the chlorophyll slowly disappears from the leaves, turning the leaves yellow and orange, then finally brown. Sometimes, the leaves of trees turn bright red or purple. This is due to trapped glucose levels and is mostly found in maple trees.

But as you know, the leaves eventually fall from their limbs leaving a mess all around your landscape. Though it can be fun for your family to play in, it eventually needs to be cleaned up. But why worry about cleanup it if you don’t have to? The Parke Company’s landscape team can assist you in leaf cleanup to protect your landscape from damage. In addition, the fallen leaves can become ideal composting material for your future landscape projects.

In addition to leaf clean-up, take care of other tree and lawn care tasks in one swoop this season. Other arborist or landscape services to be thinking about include:

  • Dead limb or tree removal — get rid of unwanted or dangerous branches and dead trees for a safe winter.

  • Leaf blowing or mulching for additional leaf pick up and tree chipper services — a much-needed service for landscapes with a lot of trees. After the clean-up is done, recycle the trash and use it for your future mulching needs.

  • Expert transplant services — this is the perfect time of year to begin scheduling transplant services for your trees. Give the Parke Company a call before it’s too late.

Autumn is a great season for the changing leaves here in Middle Tennessee. Enjoy the beauty, but don’t get bogged down in all the yard work. For more information about the Parke Company and their services, call an arborist today at (615) 405-6548.