Success With Fall Planting

There is something about the crisp fall air that makes me want to plant something! The conditions are comfortable for working outside and it’s satisfying to know that the plants that are put in the ground now will be off and running next spring. To ensure winter survival, however, there are a couple of things you need to know about fall planting.

The first and most important is to remember to water these plants well into November if it doesn’t rain. Get a rain gauge so you can accurately measure rainfall; if Mother Nature doesn’t produce at least an inch a week, water your new plantings well. If your hoses are turned off, apply at least five big bucket-fulls around newly planted shrubs and trees and two large buckets around perennials. If the temperatures are cooler in November you can water every two weeks, especially if the plants have lost their foliage.

The second way you can help with the success of fall plantings is to mulch with a dark material such as composted cow manure. An inch layer of compost, dark mulch or composted manure spread just beyond the drip line will keep the soil below warmer, and this will help with root growth in the fall.