Fall is for planting shrubs and trees

Published 10:25 am Wednesday, August 18, 2021

“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year – the days when summer is changing into autumn – the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.” — E.B. White. 

“August is that last flicker of fun and heat before everything fades and dies.” — Rasmenia Massoud. 

“Less than a month ago all of August still stretched before us – long and golden and reassuring, like an endless period of delicious sleep.” — Lauren Oliver. 

“That August time it was delight – to watch the red moons wane to white.” — Algernon Charles Swinburne.

The scorching oven heat of August will eventually give way to a new season. As the cool autumn season begins its descent, you may think that the gardening season is over until next year. Even though planting can take place throughout the year, fall is the best time of year for planting shrubs and trees. And, shrubs are some of the most reliable and hardworking plants in the garden.

Shrubs are long-lived, large enough to make an impact while still fitting into gardens of any size (even container gardens), and some offer the same flowers, fragrance, leaf color, or pollinator appeal as your favorite annuals and perennials.

Shrubs also fit in well with other plants in the garden. They make a great backdrop to show off your shorter-lived flowering plants and cover for them when they’re not in bloom. Shrubs are also wonderful for creating an “understory” that fills the gap between larger trees and shorter plants and groundcovers. Birds and other wildlife also love shrubs as a safe haven between the ground and trees. Many shrubs also provide birds with fruit, nectar, or even a place to build a nest. Make the most of your planting work by choosing shrubs that look good in more than one season, like evergreens, reblooming shrubs, and plants with pretty fall color.

Fall is the great time to plant shrubs in your garden because most plants are still visible, so you know where you have gaps to fill. And, the year’s successes – and problematic areas – are still fresh in your mind, so you know what might need replacing. Also, as plants drop leaves, you’ll be able to see where you need some evergreen structure.

Planting in fall gives your shrubs lots of time to recover and put out new roots before the stress of next summer. In addition, you may be able to take advantage of end-of-season sales at your favorite nursery. And, cooler weather makes working outside more comfortable for you!

Want to know how to plant your shrubs in the fall for a beautiful garden next year? Start with a healthy plant. It’s okay to pull the plant out of its container at the store to make sure the roots are healthy. Dig a hole that’s twice as wide but no deeper than your plant’s container. It’s important to plant your new plant at the same level or even slightly higher than the surrounding soil.

Next, take your plant out of the container it was sold in since plants bought at the end of the season may have been in their container a long time and be “potbound or rootbound” with roots circling around the rootball inside the pot or container. Loosen these roots and pull them outward so they can grow out into the soil. It’s even okay to cut them since you are planting in the fall to give them extra time to recover.

Then, place your new plant in the center of the hole, checking that the top of the rootball is not lower than the surrounding area. Add the soil back into the hole, making sure there aren’t large air pockets. Water well to help settle the soil. Add more soil if needed, but do not pack down after watering – this will compact the soil. Water instead to settle the soil again.

Spread mulch around your new shrub, keeping the mulch a few inches away from the trunk or stems. Piling mulch against the bark can lead to rot or pest damage. Mulch will help insulate your new shrub’s roots in the winter and keep them cool next summer.

Use your shovel as a measuring tool! Compare the height of the rootball to your shovel blade to know how deep to dig. Use the handle to get an estimate of how wide to dig – the hole should be twice as wide as the container.

Be sure to water your shrubs well immediately after planting and give them frequent, deep watering through the fall to help them recover and establish. Even if it’s cool outside or the shrub seems dormant, a lot is happening underground! Your plant needs sufficient water to grow healthy roots. Happy Fall planting.

This information sheet on planting shrubs is provided as an educational service of the National Garden Bureau at ngb.org. Have a blessed and enjoyable week.

“The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.” — Proverbs 10:8. 

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” — Psalm 103:8. 

“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” — Romans 8:11. 

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13.

Seagle is a Sustainability Verifier, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland), Agronomist and Horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International) LLC, Professor Emeritus and Honorary Alumnus (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College), Distinguished Professor for Teaching and Learning (University System of Georgia) and Short Term Missionary (Heritage Church, Moultrie). Direct inquiries to csi_seagle @yahoo.com.