Plants always suffer some shock when transplanted from a pot to a garden bed, or even from garden to garden. Fall planting is less stressful for plants. The air is cooler, which means the plants will not be losing as much water from their leaves. The soil is still warm, which encourages active root growth.
Fall is Good for Root Growth
Warm soil temperatures encourage root growth – more so than in the spring when the soil is still warming up. Plus, with the shorter days and cooler air temperatures, plants spend less energy on growing foliage and flowers and more on building a strong root system in preparation for winter.
Fall is one of the best times to plant flowers in the garden. The cooler temperatures and moist Autumn soils mean less heat load and water demands on new plants. And even though above ground growth may cease, roots will continue to grow well into Winter better establishing the plant for Spring.
Fall is an ideal season for planting trees, shrubs and other assorted plants. The key is encouraging good root growth. Planting trees and shrubs in fall enables the root systems to grow before the hot summer returns.
It is a GREAT time to plant!” In fact, it's a perfect time to plant just about anything (other than annuals). A wildflower display at our front entrance, the first spring after a fall planting.
October is a great time to plant those fall flowers. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Garlic (Zones 5-10): Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.
Planting in fall allows these plants to establish root systems that they can then bulk up over the winter. Also, in fall, there's usually more rain– which means less maintenance for you.
Fall planting gives the tree adequate time for the development of a quality root system. Then, when spring arrives, the root system will be better prepared for the high demands of water and nutrients from the leaves.
Fall is the Best Time to Plant
It's an ideal time for you, as all the hard gardening work of spring and the upkeep of summer will be winding down - plus it's the best time for the tree. The combination of warm soil and cool air stimulates root growth to help your tree or shrub get established before the ground freezes.
Late snow or excessive rainfall can make the soil too wet and unstable to properly plant. If an extended rainy period is immediately followed by hot, dry summer weather, new trees and shrubs can suffer. This stress manifests as scorched leaves and limited growth.
In temperate parts of the country (USDA zones 4 to 8), planting can even continue into November and December, especially crops like spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, and kale! In colder climates, some of these same vegetables are frost-tolerant. Many crops taste better after a frost or two.
Spring-blooming perennials, especially in the bare root form, are best planted early in the fall. Planting in the fall while the soil is still warm will give the roots enough time establish properly. This allows the plants to emerge from well established roots, with a stronger start, the following spring.
The date that your ground actually freezes varies from year to year, of course, and some areas won't have frozen ground at all. If you're unsure, mid-November is a safe planting deadline for nearly everyone. - Get everything in the ground before the ground freezes.
First, as the days shorten and the cold sets in, many plants become “hardened”. Water is pumped out of plant cells into the roots and any remaining sap, which is a sugary solution, often acts as antifreeze. Broadleaf trees, like maples and oaks, shed their thin, flat leaves each fall to reduce water loss.
In the fall, the air turns crips but your soil remains warm. Warm soil temperatures encourage root growth. Roots will continue to grow through the winter until the ground freezes. Due to their more established root systems, fall-planted plants are better equipped to deal with heat and drought the following season.
Timing of fall planting has much to do with soil temperature. Many plants can grow roots when the earth is as cool as 45˚F. At planting time, the soil temperature at 6 inches deep should be about 55˚F to give plants ample time to start getting established.
Foliage growth slows down considerably during the fall and winter months so you can pause fertilizing until next spring, the start of the growing season. Give your houseplants the essentials—light and water—to sustain them through winter, but don't fuss over them or you might kill them with kindness.
Avoid pruning in fall.
Pruning cuts can stimulate new growth that, unfortunately, will be killed as temperatures drop to freezing. Trees and shrubs reduce their energy production as the growing season ends, so new growth in autumn will use a plant's stored energy reserves.
Fall is often considered the best time of year to plant new trees. Generally, late August, September and October are the best months.
The majority of tree growth occurs in late spring and early summer. During most of the growing season, trees (plants) produce a material called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll enables plants to convert water and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight into carbohydrates, which plants use for food.
Newly planted trees (trees planted within 1-3 years), are more susceptible to damage from dry conditions and should be watered more frequently than established trees. Try watering them to a depth of 24 inches three times a month in the fall and twice a month in the winter.
Peak sunlight and searing heat are added stressors on young plants with small roots, not to mention, summer soil tends to be drier. The best way to counteract these complications is with regular watering.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.