Many people tend to clear out garden and landscape beds in the fall and pack tools away.  However, now is a great time for gardening.  Fall is fantastic for giving your landscape and edge going into next spring!

Ground temperatures take a long time to warm in the spring, meaning root growth and establishment takes far longer in the spring than fall.  In the fall ground temperatures cool much slower than air temperatures.  This allows for a long season of root establishment.  (Roots will grow as long as soil temperatures stay above 40 degrees.)

During the drier winter months ground moisture tends to drop.  Natural moisture is more available in the fall for plants.  This allows for easier establishment in the landscape and less need for supplemental watering.

Fall is an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs.  Always plant trees to their natural soil lines, and keep them well watered until the ground freezes so they get a good start before going dormant for winter.  Be sure to also supplement with a started fertilizer like Bonide’s Root and Grow.  (Check out our 2-Year Warranty Program.)

It is perhaps the best time of the year to plant perennials.  Plants like ornamental grasses, peonies, and hostas all perform well when planted in the fall.  It is also a good time to divide perennials and plant spring bulbs.

Of course, the fall growing season is most well-known for pansies and mums.  Pansies aren’t pansies when it comes to surviving the arctic chill of winter for early color in the spring.  Mums add a splash of color, and if you’re lucky, a planted mum might survive the winter.  However, in our area, that depends on the severity of the winter.

Just because autumn is nearly here, it doesn’t mean you have to pack your garden gear away until next spring.  There’s still plenty of planting that can be done.  You’ll just have to wait until spring to see the fruits of your labor.