Fall Is for Planting – Little York Plantation

We all get excited when spring comes. The snow banks melt away. The warm days bring rebirth. We are ready to plant something…ANYTHING in the garden. We are starved for lush green foliage and beautiful colors. We can hardly wait to get to the garden center and purchase the most beautiful plant on the shelves.  

After everything is planted and tended for a few weeks, the long hot and sometimes dry days of summer lull us into taking for granted the lush foliage and the colorful flowers that inspire us in spring. The busy activities of summer entice us into forgetting the hard work put into all those beautiful plants that we took home in May.  

In August, we notice things are beginning to change. Some of the leaves of our plants are not as bright and lush as they were when we brought them home. Even the trees on the hillsides have a different cast to the leaves. We are woefully reminded that winter is coming and it’s time to stop focusing on our gardens.  

But OH! Wait! FALL is the VERY BEST TIME of year to plant AND the VERY BEST TIME to prepare your garden for the coming spring. FALL IS FOR PLANTING…And that’s a FACT!

So why is Fall the VERY BEST time of year to plant and arrange your landscape?

1. The roots are preparing for winter, storing energy and gaining strength to support the new growth that will inspire us in the coming spring. Fall plantings gain almost a full season of root growth and prepare the plant to withstand the hot, dry conditions of the coming summer.  Spring plantings require the plant to spend its first 6-8 weeks just concentrating on developing that root system.
2. The air is cooler in the fall yet the soil temps are still very warm encouraging that root growth. The roots continue to grow as long as the soil is not frozen and in some years that’s well into January.   
3. And where did all the insects go? Fall is ordinarily a time when there are very few insects stressing the plant. They are also preparing for winter. FALL garden cleanup is extremely important to help prevent insects the next season.
4. Fall ordinarily brings natural rains, lessening your burden to water. Pay close attention to newly planted evergreens. They prefer to go into winter with enough moisture to sustain their leaves during the winter months. 
5. And most of all, it’s fun to get out in the brisk air and warm soil.  

With these tips, you can maintain your plants with proper landscape maintenance and see them grow before winter comes. Make sure you will have access to the landscape materials you will be needing, and that you can easily get more if you run out. If needed, you can always get expert help from landscape professionals.