Perennial Planting in the Fall

Why plant in the fall when we’ve always heard spring is the right time to plant? Fall is when the season is winding down and when we start putting the gardens to bed, not when we plant new plants, right? WRONG! Fall planting is the best time to plant and let me tell you why.

Energy

When we put our precious plants in the ground, it’s a bit of a shock to them. They’ve been nice and cozy in their nursery pot with their sterile potting mix, then we come around and yank them out of their home, shake off that peat and perlite mix and jam them into some real soil…often a much heavier clay or loam. In spring, the days are heating up and getting longer, and those little plants are itching to photosynthesize; they want that sun, and they want to push out leaves and flower and get big and strong! That sounds great, that’s what we want, too! There is a caveat though… days getting longer signals foliar growth meaning all the plant’s energy is going up, up, up to the above-ground parts. Remember, what’s most important isn’t on the outside, it’s on the inside. Or in the plant’s case, inside the soil.

At the root of it

What I’m getting at is roots. Ah yes, the roots, the anchor of the plant that drinks up the water and nutrients they need to survive. It is vital the plant establishes a strong root system for long term success. This is where fall planting shines. After the summer solstice, the days get shorter, the nights get cooler, and the plants start winding down. They know what’s coming and they start prepping by switching up their priorities. No more wasting energy on leaves and flowers, it’s time to build roots. 

When we plant in the fall, plants get two or more full months to establish strong roots without dividing their resources between above-ground growth and below-ground growth. This gives them a head start for next spring because they’ll have deeper, better-established roots that can find more water and nutrients, allowing them to really go to town on foliar growth when the time comes.

Temperature 

Planting in the spring means hot days around the corner, and depending on how quickly summer comes, you may be watering those babies several times a week to keep them from frying. While fall days may still be hot, nights start to cool off, preventing moisture in the soil from evaporating, meaning less frequent watering. The moisture also keeps the ground temps stable and warm, perfect for root growth. But check the forecast and try to avoid planting in the days before an early frost. 

One last reason

If you’re still not convinced to plant your perennials in fall, here’s one more reason you can’t argue with: Most plant nurseries close for the winter and try to sell their remaining inventory before they do. This means sales, discounts, savings! Plants aren’t cheap, so be smart and shop when they’re reduced. 

Get out there and plant in the perfect fall weather – you won’t be sorry!

Psst. Take advantage of Fall Plant & Bulb Sale, Sept. 27 & 28. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Reserve your time today!
 

This article was contributed by Horticulturist Ashley Strait.