Think again — Fall is Perfect for Planting!
Contrary to what you might think, fall is one of the best times of year to plant trees and shrubs. In the fall, most plants prepare for winter dormancy; the most obvious sign is when deciduous plants lose their leaves. When plants are transplanted in their dormant phase, they are less likely to experience transplant shock, and the generally cooler fall temperatures and increased rainfall means that newly transplanted plants are less stressed and easier to care for.
In addition, just because the plant is dormant above ground does not mean it is dormant below ground; it will continue to send out roots into its new home. This means that plants installed in the fall have a big head start over plants installed in the spring because they have more of an established root base going into the hot summer months.
It is considered safe to plant most trees, shrubs, and perennials up to six weeks before the ground freezes, which most years, in our area, you can plant into November.
NOTE: Care should be taken when planting evergreens late in the fall as some winter injuries can occur. With all newly planted evergreens, including those planted in the spring and summer, we recommend using an anti-desiccant spray such as Wilt-pruf to help prevent winter moisture loss through the needles.
As a bonus, when you plant in the fall you can take advantage of great end-of-the-year clearance sales!
Research gathered over recent years has highlighted the countless benefits to people, wildlife and the environment that come from planting trees and creating new woodland habitat. It’s obvious trees are good things.
