autumn – the best time to plant

September 4, 2018

Hey all! This time of year, many of the local nurseries are having end of season sales. Best thing ever! Okay, maybe not ever, but it’s pretty darn sweet. Did you know that autumn is the best time to plant many (or even most??) trees and perennials? It’s true!

There are a few reasons that fall planting will frequently result in better success than spring or summer planting.

  • the cooler weather allows the plant to get established without the heat of summer to stress the plant
  • the soil is still warm from summer, allowing the roots to grow and settle in until the ground freezes
  • there is often a good amount of rainfall in the autumn months, reducing the need for manual watering
  • there are fewer weeds and pests to interfere with the new plant’s health while it’s in a delicate stage of life

Are you planting anything new this fall? I am planning to replace a couple of apple trees that I planted in 2016 (you can watch a video of the original planting here). Two of the three did not make it. I will choose varieties better suited to our locale this time.

I’ve also been working on some landscaping near the house.

Various ferns and coral bells:

various ferns and coral bells

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’) along the front of the house on the very shady side:

Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum 'Variegatum'

There are still a couple of plants to get in the ground. Helleborus ‘Walhelivor’ or Lenten Rose ‘Ivory Prince’:

Helleborus 'Walhelivor' or Lenten Rose 'Ivory Prince'

Spotted Dead Nettle ‘Purple Dragon’ or Lamium maculatum ‘Purple Dragon’:

Spotted Dead Nettle 'Purple Dragon' or Lamium maculatum 'Purple Dragon'

And I just may end up at some of those nursery sales after all, ha!

Happy gardening to you!


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