Fall is for planting?

By ROSEMARY MANDEVILLE

Mums are in the nurseries now. Big clumps of russets, yellows and reds anticipate the changing colors of the trees as they don their fall wardrobe. It’s also the time when nurseries are offering deep discounts on trees, shrubs and perennials. The marketing gurus have launched their “Fall is for Planting” campaign once again, but is it really true, or is it just a way for nurseries to reduce their stocks before winter? The easy answer would be “yes” or “no,” but like most things in life, the reality is a little more complicated.

For woody plants, fall can be an excellent time to plant. The soil is still warm and rainfall is more reliable than in summer, both of which will encourage new roots to grow, while at the same time the air temperature is cooler, reducing stress on the new plant. However, the downside is that almost all of the trees and shrubs being offered at this time of year have been hanging around all summer, getting pot-bound and stressed from the heat and perhaps from inadequate water. For the price, though, they may be worth trying anyway. If given extra TLC at planting time, chances are they will be just fine in a year or two.

When you get your plant home from the nursery, pull it out of its pot and look at the root ball. If it has missed a watering or two, the root ball may have shrunk away from the pot, drying out the center. Ordinary watering at this point will just wet the outside of the soil ball before running off, never touching the interior. If this seems to be the case, the whole root ball has to be soaked for an hour or two in a bucket of water. It may be helpful to add some weak fish emulsion or manure tea to the soaking water, and again during planting, but lay off any chemical fertilizers at least until spring. It’s very likely that the available plants will also be root bound in their pots. Planted as is, the plant may stay that way for years, increasing the risk of the limited root ball drying out, stunting its growth, and ultimately perhaps even killing the plant. This problem can usually be overcome by first untangling any large roots growing in circles inside the pot, then slicing into the ball from top to bottom up to about an inch or so deep in several places with a knife or razor blade, and then cutting an x into the bottom of the ball. This may seem brutal, but cutting into the root ball cuts some of the encircling roots that may otherwise strangle the plant, and stimulates the cut ends to send fresh branching roots into the surrounding soil. Once this is done, you can plant as usual, watering thoroughly at planting time and as needed thereafter.

Perennials need to be treated in about the same way. Clean out any dead or diseased leaves, but preserve any healthy green growth, even if it looks gangly. After hard frost, trim down the killed foliage and mulch the root ball well if you haven’t already. Mulch will keep the soil warm longer, giving the roots more time to get established, and it will also help to reduce heaving of the roots over the winter. Check on your plants from time to time over the winter, and if you find any that have been pushed out of the soil by frost, push them back in and firm the soil around them before the roots have a chance to dry out.

So, is fall for planting? If you are willing to take the risk of planting things that are not in their prime and give them a little extra care, there are some great deals out there right now. So go ahead—take a chance.