Grow roots, not leaves: Why fall is a great time to plant in WNC

Maybe you are new to western North Carolina or new to gardening or maybe you spent the spring and summer on other projects! No worries, you are not too late! Fall is generally the best time to plant shrubs and trees in WNC. It's also ideal for planting, transplanting, or dividing herbaceous perennials. Moderating temperatures and increased rainfall gives your plants a strong start for healthy growth next spring.

MODERATE TEMPS:

Shorter days and cooler temps mean plants experience less stress from the heat of the day. The mild weather lessens transplant shock so the plant can focus its energy toward the roots rather than leaf support. And while the air temperature is dropping, the soil temps are still warm which promotes root development and allows the plant to establish a robust foundation before any winter freeze. Deciduous shrubs and trees in particular will get to focus their energy on root growth during the fall and winter months which sets them up for a strong spring start. And spring bloomers also benefit from this head start in root development. Allowing plants this extra growing time often produces more vigorous growth and blooms next spring. They will be rooted and ready to start putting out growth right out of the gate!

RAINFALL:

Fall in our region usually means increased rainfall in conjunction with the cooler temperatures. Beyond easing the need for extensive supplemental watering, this added moisture helps to establish root systems which then uptake extra nutrients before winter sets in. Plus less watering pressure means more time for you to design and plant! (As always though, weather and climate systems can swing wildly. Do keep an eye and provide deep watering if we don’t end up having the 'usual' rainfall.)

And speaking of easier on you, not only is your watering workload likely reduced in the fall, but the moist, warm soils combined with cooling temps makes for an easier and more comfortable time for YOU in the garden preparing those beds. Who doesn’t love an agreeable day outside!! Plus there are often fewer pests to contend with in the fall compared to the summer. As the weather cools off, many insects become less active reducing chances of infestation on newly planted plants and (fingers-crossed) you too!

WINTER COLD EXPOSURE:

Finally, fall planting is also the best and most obvious answer if your bulbs, seeds, or plants require cold stratification or vernalization. Basically, a period of cold exposure (and often reduced light) that triggers either flower production or seed germination. Bulbs (tulips and daffodils as well as natives such as trillium and bluebells), many fruit trees (some apples, cherries and blueberries), cool-season grasses, and many biennial plants (like hollyhocks, foxgloves, and delphiniums) will need the cold winter months to get ready for spring. So get them in soon!

Read more about planting perennial edibles in the fall and fall vegetable gardening in our blogs:

When should you wait to plant until spring?

There are always exceptions to consider. Some perennials do better planted in early spring. Anything that is considered a 'tender perennial' for our region (e.g. zones 7-8) may be best planted in spring so that it has a full growing season to root in before facing winter weather. We also recommend planting summer blooming bulbs in spring rather than fall--such as lilies, dahlias and gladiolus. Plants that don't like their roots sitting wet or that take longer to root in may be more likely to succeed when planted in spring, especially if borderline hardy. When planting grasses such as Pink Muhly or woody herbs like lavender in the fall, we recommend you get them in the ground by the end of September and be sure to amend soils to provide good drainage. These species can struggle when they face both 'wet feet' and cold winters (though super wet, humid and hot summers like this one are sometimes equally challenging!).

Annuals obviously will not last through the winter, but it's still nice to add some for a pop of color to refresh those dimming summer beds--you'll find a vibrant selection at Painters this fall including Belgian mums, ornamental cabbage and peppers, snapdragons, pansies and violas (the last of which often do survive our winters.)

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Plan your visit to Painters and your fall gardens by checking out our Growing and Availability Lists on our website:

Growing and Availability Lists