Fall is For Planting

• Posted on 18 October 2021
• By Molly
• 0

If you’re skeptical, here are 6 reasons why you should fit some time in between watching football and drinking lattes to plant your trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials.

Why do you love fall? Is it the Pumpkin Festival? Pumpkin lattes? Football? How about fall planting? Many believe that spring is the only opportunity to plant, but FALL is actually the BEST time for planting.

If you’re skeptical, here are 6 reasons why you should fit some time in between watching football and drinking lattes to plant your trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials.

1. Warm soil + cool air = happy plants. Just about every plant hardy in this area prefers cool temperatures to our summer's scorching heat. At the same time, plants like to sink their toes in warm soil. Fall is the only time of year you get those conditions.
2. Less pest and disease pressure. Leaf chewers are more active in spring and summer than fall, making for less-stressed plants that root in better.
3. Less water stress. Even though our fall brings only moderate rains, it's still easier to keep newly-planted plants watered when it's 70F than it is when it's 90F. (Pay attention to the water needs of evergreens planted in fall as it's often being too dry rather than too cold that causes problems.)
4. Planting is more pleasant. As much as digging a hole is ever pleasant, it's a nicer job when the temperatures are moderate.
5. Plants have a head start for next spring. After spending the fall and winter rooting into the soil, plants are ready to get growing faster in spring, instead of having to devote energy to rooting. Flowering is often better the first spring/summer also.
6. Better drought tolerance. Plants get an extra 6-8 months of root growth before they have to withstand dry conditions the following summer compared to planting in spring. Deeper, better established roots are a large factor in determining how well a plant tolerates drought.

Should everything be planted in fall? Of course not, but especially in the case of an investment in a trees and shrubs, it doesn't hurt to take advantage of the season to help make your plants happier and healthier.