Why We Love Fall Planting

The Equinox is upon us and it is officially fall! This season of shedding and slowing down is often overlooked for planting. Although it may seem counterintuitive, there are some real benefits to utilizing the season of slowing for tree and shrub growing! 

In contrast to springtime planting, the window for fall planting is much longer. When the soil temps of summer cool down, conditions become fantastic for planting! You can continue your fall  planting to your heart’s desire, even into winter, until you can no longer dig a hole in the ground. Be sure to mulch to provide moisture retention and winter root protection. Although our climate is changing, planting during this timeframe often dramatically reduces the amount of watering. Once leaves drop, the plant has gone dormant and no longer needs to be watered. 

Just as this season tends to be an invitation for humans to begin turning inward, our plant allies are doing the same! When we plant most tree and shrub species in the fall, we are allowing them to further focus on expanding their root system. As is true with every season, the more of the root system that can remain with the established tree or shrub the better; but this is especially true in the fall. Our growing methods, and use of root pruning containers, allow the plants to keep 90% of their root system versus the 10% that remains with ball and burlap growing methods. This is especially important for fall planting so those established roots can keep growing strong!

There are always exceptions to everything, and fall planting is no different! We would recommend caution for fall planting of species like River Birch that need a rich, near constant, water supply. Evergreens can be planted in the fall, but should be planted by early September; as their root systems take longer to adjust and develop. Perennials can also be planted in the fall as long as they are in the ground about three weeks before the first freeze. 

While the days are growing shorter, there is still time and great reason to linger in the yard and add habitat to your space! Our retail shop is still open, and we recently added larger 10 and 15 gallon trees for you to browse. If you’re too busy taking advantage of fall planting to head out to the nursery, our online store will ship direct to your doorstep. We would love to help you find the perfect tree, shrub, or perennial to get in the ground before we all go dormant for the winter!