Did you know that Fall is the best time of the year to plant because it’s the best growing season? A good thing to do in the fall is the planting of perennials, trees and shrubs.
The benefit of planting perrennials, shrubs or trees in the fall is the reduced amount of watering you will need to do. When you plant something in the spring or early summer, the foliage and root system are actively growing. This means your plants will need a large amount of water to keep them going and growing. But when you plant in the Fall, perennials, trees and shrubs are just about dormant. And, in the winter, the ground remains moist due to snow and rainfall, so it takes the watering labor away from you.
One important thing you can do if you decide to plant in the Fall, is to make sure to provide your plants with a good layer of mulch to help insulate the soil. This practice helps reduce the chance of heaving from the alternating freezing and thawing of the ground. As written in an article by Missouri Botanical Gardens: “Cold-hardy perennials can be damaged by winter weather. Frost heaving is the usual culprit. Wide temperature fluctuations, with repeated cycles of freezing and thawing, cause the water in the soil to expand and contract. These repeated expansions and contractions push and turn plants and their roots. The result is heaving of the crowns. They are pushed up out of the soil breaking some roots and exposing other roots above soil level. The elevated crowns and roots are exposed to cold temperatures and drying winds. They may be seriously damaged, stunted or killed.“
References:
Missouri Botanical Gardens: “Frost Heaving”. Retrieved from web: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/environmental/winter-injury/frost-heaving.aspx.