Planting Trees in the Fall

So we have now officially had our first frost and the days are getting shorter, and you still have a few trees in containers that you have not yet got around to planting.  Do you have time to plant them? The answer is yes, but I would move on it fairly quickly.  You want to get the trees into the ground so that the roots can continue to grown and be established before the ground freezes.   Trees typically do better when planted in the fall or early spring because they have the most time to adjust before the harsher weather is upon us.  I recommend a fall planting because you can depend on more moisture in the soil (so less watering) over the winter as opposed to over the summer.  

If we end up having an abnormally dry winter and you have decided to plant some trees, you will still have to water them. Just because they do not have leaves does not mean that the roots are not still growing.

If you decide that you are going to wait and overwinter your pots, but you have to keep them outside, make sure that they are protected from the weather either by putting them into a pile of mulch or raking up a large pile of leaves and surrounding your pots with the leaves.  As an aside, we've already had the first frost, so if you had illusions about planting garlic this fall, I would get in in the ground within the next few days!


Happy planting, and happy fall!!