Gardening
The colours of Autumn
By Andy Fortune , Owner of The Mulberry Tree Wood Turnery
As the season changes and the evenings draw in , the response from our deciduous trees is far more complex than it would first appear . As many of you will know , the tilt in the axis of the Earth ( caused by a massive impact aeons ago , knocking the earth off kilter ) and its elliptical orbit around the sun gives each hemisphere its alternating seasons . So now that we are approaching winter and the length of daylight is diminished , this cooling down and reduction in sunlight triggers a process in our native deciduous trees that tells them to store energy , prepare for winter and slow down to survive the impending cold . A bit like we humans do when it gets cold and dark outside , and we become more inclined to slow down and spend more time at home . When the daylight hours diminish , our trees respond to the surprisingly drier air by sealing off the pores in their leaves to retain water . They will then reabsorb the moisture and nutrients from the leaves , which is what gives us the stunning autumnal colours we associate with the season . Once this process has taken place , the tree will seal off the area before the stem of the leaf and close down for the winter , awaiting the longer days and warmth of Spring . Sleep tight !
Taking care of your trees
Trees are large living organisms that can frequently live for centuries and occasionally millennia . They develop an amazingly engineered structure with an appealing form and they create it using nothing more than dirt , water , sunlight and the remarkable force that is life . Just by existing , trees provide a whole host of benefits for us . Ultimately , having lived for thousands of years as nomadic hunter gatherers and then in settlements , the human species instinctively recognises a place with large healthy trees as being a good place to live . Where modern living interacts with trees we need to balance the requirements of the tree against our human needs . The requirements of the tree are often overlooked with their demise unwittingly brought about by ignorance . Through a combination of arboricultural knowledge and experience , accumulated over 20 years , ArbAdvice can provide the information necessary to weigh up any consequences and make an informed decision regarding tree management . We frequently provide robust advice and professional reports for ; those seeking Planning
Permission , when requested by Mortgage and Insurance companies , for health and safety purposes . With a solid practical background we also have the technical ability to implement any tree work from tree removal to the gentlest of pruning . As a City & Guilds NPTC Approved Assessor , training and assessment in tree work qualifications can also be provided . Contact Ben Riches on 07544 079296 , email ben @ arbadvice . co . uk or visit www . arbadvice . co . uk .
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