Fall is Ideal for Planting and Replanting
These warm fall days and cool nights make it the perfect season for planting grass and trees, and replanting shrubs and flowers – giving them time to settle in and sink their roots before going dormant for the winter. Moderate temperatures make it easier on the gardener, too, without having to contend with blistering heat and scorching rays from the sun!
Here are a few suggestions about what to plant and what to consider before, during and after you start digging dirt. Seize the moment – especially if you have any greenery that’s crowded, underperforming or in the case of bulb flowers like lilies and irises, might need to be divided and replanted for maximum bloomage in the spring!
Trees and Shrubs
The soil is still warm enough for root development, so if you have your eye on a desirable tree or shrub at the nursery – now’s the time to plant them. If you’re looking for suggestions, Knock Out roses, known for disease resistance and constant color are a great pick. Be sure to choose a location with morning light and you’ll be rewarded with blooms from early spring through next fall.
Camellia Sasanqua, Fothergilla, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Rhododendron and Smoke Bush are five more of Home Depot gardeners’ favorites, and many have outstanding fall foliage and blooms. Once you’ve chosen your favorite, follow these tips for how to plant them.
As for trees, you can transplant just about anything in fall, whether it’s an evergreen tree, shade tree, or flowering tree, autumn is an excellent time to relocate you favorites. Before digging, check with the utility companies to locate any underground lines.
Always plant trees and shrubs at their natural soil lines and keep them well watered until the ground freezes so they get good and established before going into full dormancy during winter. You’ll find more tips at Planting Tree for successful transitions.
Turf Grass
Fall is the best time to plant new turf grass, too, either by seeding or laying down fresh sod. If you’re installing a brand new lawn, seeding is usually the cheaper and easier DIY option, but sod will give more immediate results. To DIY with seeding, sprinkle grass seeds wherever you want it to grow, then cover lightly with compost or straw. Again, keep the new grass well-watered until freezing temperatures assault us.
Oh, the Joy of Perennials!
All spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths need a period of cold to bloom, which is why they need to be planted in fall even though you won’t be able to enjoy them until the following spring. Many bulbs come in a wide assortment of varieties, so you can choose colors, heights, and bloom times that work best in your garden. If deer or other critters frequent your yard, plant bulbs they don’t like to nibble, such as daffodils, grape hyacinths, and alliums.
One of the things we love, love, love about perennials is how they surprise us every spring when the first shoots appear to break through the surface of the soil. But they’re not totally hands-off.
Early fall is the time to divide some of these flowering bulbs. According to Gardening Know-How, bulbs should be divided when they get so overcrowded that it’s noticeable, or stop producing as many blooms.
As bulbs grow, they’ll put out little offshoot bulbs that cluster around them. If a patch of flowering bulbs is still producing leaves but the flowers have gotten lackluster this year, that means it’s time to divide. This is likely to happen every three to five years.
Seize the moment over these next few weeks to plant, relocate, redistribute and revive your garden and landscaping. It’s the best time of year!
Fall in Colliers Hill!
Who doesn’t love the season of fall? The colors, the cooler temperatures, pumpkin picking and apple harvesting…it’s fast becoming fall in the master-planned community of Colliers Hill, one of the fastest growing, amenity-rich communities in northern Colorado. Check out the beautiful model homes from KB Home, Century Communities and Richmond American Homes – and coming soon, Boulder Creek. Priced from the $400s, this Erie neighborhood offers easy access to Denver, Boulder and DIA!
