Planting Trees & Shrubs In September For Stronger Roots

For many, it’s been a long held myth that regardless of what you’re planting, spring is the best (and for some, the only) time you should even think about putting something in the ground. Though it will always be one of the most sought after times for planting and enhancing landscapes, spring planting does immediately deliver a newly developing tree & shrub into a hot summer period requiring watering and management of this new establishment period.

 

That, of course, isn’t true. Fall – September thru November in particular – is one of the best seasons to plant trees, largely in part because it promotes good root growth as the cooler weather helps enable the root systems to thrive before the hot summer weather sets in again. This secures 3 seasons of root growth & development before the most stressful season “summer”.

 

The ideal weather for fall planting is wet, cool weather. Cooler temperatures, coupled with additional rain means less time spent watering your newly planted trees & shrubs. As new growth slows and finally stops, trees & shrubs need less water because the days are shorter and milder, causing the rate of photosynthesis to decrease.

 

The more consistent temperatures that often come with early fall also stimulates root development. Soil stays warm long after the air temperature cools down, and that too inspires root growth. During shoot dormancy, tree & shrub grow to create roots in new areas before the upcoming spring warming weather stimulates top growth.

 

There are a number of additional advantages to planting trees & shrubs in the fall, such as the fact that trees planted then can better handle heat and even drought the next summer should it be a hot, dry season.  While some minor exceptions exists within fall planting, we encourage you to take advantage of one of the best planting seasons available for a wide range of trees and shrubs often providing you a head start for the upcoming year’s needs and advantages.