Fall Ideal Time To Plant Shrubs, Trees

Fall is a good time for planting trees and perennial plants, according to Carla Gibson with Chicken Holler in Farmington.

The top of the plant goes dormant but the roots will become established throughout fall and winter. When plants begin to grow in the spring, the plant or tree will be acclimated to the ground, Gibson said.

Her favorite flowers and trees to plant in the fall are crepe myrtle and hydrangeas. Another perennial favorite is Dianthus. Gibson said it spreads in the flower bed and you don’t have to dig it up.

Pansies are a popular fall annual that many people like to plant to give their flower beds color throughout the fall and winter months. Pansies will last through winter until temperatures begin to warm up in late spring.

Contrary to what many people think, mums are perennial flowers, Gibson said.

To ensure that mums continue to grow season after season, Gibson said you should plant them in the ground, instead of leaving them in pots. Mums that are left in pots will dry out and die, she said.

For mums planted in the ground, the first frost will kill the top of the plant but in the spring, mums will begin to green up and grow taller. When the plant gets about 1 foot tall and begins to put on buds, Gibson said you should cut off the buds and do this every two weeks until the first of July. This prevents the plant from getting too tall and falling over.

After July, a mum will begin to turn green and get larger and wider. Its flowers will bloom in September and October depending on the weather.

Some vegetables that can be planted throughout the fall and the winter are greens, such as spinach, kale and turnips.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Many people consider mums an annual flower but they can be planted in the ground and with care, will bloom year after year.