Fall Planting

Landscaping Information: Fall Planting

Plant When the Professionals Plant

Why Fall? Perhaps it seems odd. Spring is supposed to be the time of new growth, of fresh air, of the get-up-&-go it takes to work in the yard. That’s all true. However, fall planting is actually easier on the plant! Trees, shrubs and perennials that are planted in the fall have a four to six month jump start on ones planted in the spring.

Why???

Air temperatures are cool——Soil temperatures are warm, Plants devote energy to root growth during the autumn (they focus less on producing leaves, flowers & fruit and more on establishing a strong & healthy root system.)

Healthy roots = Healthy Plants

Roots begin to grow sooner in spring (as soon as soil warms & thaws). Fall is not the end of the gardening year.

Autumn Artistry

Keep the garden glowing with late-season color and texture. Most gardeners spend their time thinking about spring. But a much more rewarding emphasis should be placed towards the end of the season. Following are tips to help make your fall garden come to life:

Always consider foliage. Contrasting heights, forms, colors & textures create a spectacular late-season portrait.
Plant shrubs that have good fall color. Burning Bush, Viburnum, Weigela, Chokeberry, Sweetspire, Spirea, Dogwood, and Barberry just to name a few.
Emphasize late-blooming perennials. Fall Asters, Garden Mums, Rudbeckia, Russian Sage, Sedum, and Dark Knight Caryopteris all last well into frost.
Remember ornamental grasses. These free-flowing plants add texture, movement and drama to the autumn landscape. One of the most valuable group of plants for seasonal interest.

Ideas for Fall Color

Red, yellow, gold, orange, bronze, purple – these colors are the reminder that autumn is the time to plant trees! Don’t let another year go by when you wish that beautiful red maple tree, purple ash tree, orange pear tree was in your own back yard. Plant one TODAY!

Trees

Autumn Blaze Maple – Brilliant red-orange Autumn Flame Maple – Yellow to bright-red Red Sunset Maple – Yellow-orange to red Deborah Maple – Bronze Emerald Queen Maple – Yellow Flame Maple (Amur) – Brilliant red to deep red Green Mountain Maple – Reddish orange to red Commemoration Maple – Orange to orange-red

Autumn Purple Ash – Reddish purple Patmore Ash – Bright yellow

Skyline Honeylocust – Golden Sunburst Honeylocust – Yellowish brown

Quaking Aspen – Yellow Swedish Aspen – Yellow

Greenspire (Littleleaf) Linden – Yellow

Red Oak – Red

Pear (Capital or Aristocrat) – Yellow-orange to red

Thornless Hawthorn – Bronze-orange w/ orange fruit

Indian Magic Crabapple – Green-red with red fruit Prairiefire Crabapple – Green-red with bright red fruit Robinson Crabapple – Green-red with red fruit Spring Snow Crabapple – Yellow (no fruit)

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry – Bright red

Canada Red Chokecherry – Deep burgundy

Shrubs

Burning Bush – Brilliant red Chokeberry – Red leaves with red or black berries Cotoneasters – Red berries Crimson Pigmy Barberry – Burgundy Golden Privet – Bright yellow Magic Carpet Spirea – Yellow turning orange Goldmound Spirea – Bright yellow Compact Viburnum – Red with black berries Henry’s Garnet Sweetspire – Bright Red Minuet Weigela – Dark copper Wine & Roses Weigela – Deep burgundy Purple Sandcherry – Dark burgundy Pyracantha – Bright orange berries Redtwig Dogwood – Reddish burgundy with red twigs Variegated Dogwood – Reddish burgundy w/ red twigs Yellow Potentilla – Bright yellow blossoms until frost Dark Knight Caryopteris – Blue blossoms Aug.-frost

Perennials

Asters – Pink, burgundy, purple, lavender, white ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedum – Rosy-red Fall Mums – Red, orange, bronze, gold, yellow, pink, purple, white Ornamental Grasses – Beige, purple, yellow, red Purple Coneflower – Purple Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan) – Bold yellow Russian Sage – Sage foliage with lavender blooms

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