Why fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs

As temperatures cool and daylight grows shorter, it’s easy to put off beautifying your home until next year. But the truth is, this is the best time to plant trees and shrubs. These plants not only increase curb appeal, they can add privacy, reduce noise, and aid in summertime cooling of your home.

So, why is fall the best time to plant trees and shrubs?

Not as much watering is needed

Young plants need plenty of water. Summertime planting requires close attention to moisture levels. Generally, though, autumn rainfall provides a good portion of the moisture new plants need with only some additional watering required on your part.

Cooler temperatures

The high heat of summer can be harmful to newly planted trees and bushes, increasing the amount of care and attention required. In the fall, lower temperatures are less stressful on plants that are already working hard to adapt to the rigors of being transplanted.

Overcoming transplant shock

During the planting process, delicate root hairs are disturbed and often broken. These small root hairs are vital to a plant’s health because they absorb water and nutrients. By planting trees and shrubs in the fall, roots have the opportunity to regenerate throughout winter while the plant is dormant. This allows it to become more established and ready for the first spring in its new location.

Better value for your money

Trees and shrubs planted in autumn get a jumpstart on growth. If you plant a 5-gallon shrub in fall, it emerges with a quick burst of springtime growth because its roots have had the winter to quietly grow underground. If you wait until spring to plant, you must purchase a larger, more expensive shrub to match the same springtime size your 5-gallon plant achieves by being planted in the fall.

Extended planting season

While our Creative Landscaping team generally stops planting perennials in mid-October, we install trees and shrubs until the ground freezes. Depending on the weather, this means we can sometimes install trees up until Christmas here in southwestern Michigan. The trees are dormant so cold temperatures do not adversely affect them and they have several months for root development in anticipation of spring.

If you’ve been considering adding trees and shrubs to your landscaping, now is the time to contact us for a consultation and to be added to our fall planting schedule. Drop us a note through our online contact form or call us at 269-473-1356.