Fall is one of the most special seasons of the year; we watch as the drying temperatures slowly start to cool and the landscape starts getting scattered with beautiful autumn colors. With the warm days of spring and the fresh buds popping up everywhere, it’s no wonder that most gardeners are inspired to plant in spring, but fall is the best time to plant your garden. In fact, some may argue that fall is the best time for gardeners to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials. The hot and dry summer days that quickly follow at spring’s heels can cause some plants to lose water through their leaves and they won’t be able to establish strong roots.
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not you should start taking advantage of the season and get to planting right now then we’re here to show you why you need it. We’ll talk about the benefits for both you and your plants of beginning to plant right now.
It’s The Best Time For The Roots To Grow
When you think about it, the roots are what matter for the rest of the plant to thrive. Whenever you first plant something, your highest priority is to make sure that the root system is strongly established and thriving. Why is fall the prime time for plants to grow roots? As the days begin to get shorter and the temperatures drop, plants begin to get the signal that they should be shutting down for the colder months instead of working to grow new foliage and leaves.
When the plants aren’t spending energy on growing new flowers and foliage they can devote that energy to growing strong roots. We also have to remember that, although we feel the air getting colder as we head into the autumn months, the soil isn’t at that temperature. For plants, their roots grow best in warm soil which is exactly the temperature that the soil is at during the autumn months. It’ll continue to lag in temperature and be warmer than the air.
It’s Easier To Take Care Of
There’s no denying that the cool fall months are a nice and refreshing change from the dry heat of summer. Most of us can barely be bothered to get turn the sprinklers on to make sure that our plants are getting adequate water during summer, let alone doing the proper weeding and giving them the proper care needed. However, during fall it’s much more enjoyable to spend time outdoors and we’re more apt to take care of our plants.
Get A Jumpstart On Spring
Most people wait till spring when they start seeing warmer weather and buds to start their garden, but you can get ahead of it this year! Perennial plants and wildflowers are perfect to plant in the fall where the colder weather will let them have a stress-free environment and encourage their roots to grow. New plants will thrive in the autumn weather and you’ll have gotten an early start on your spring planting!
A Few Tips To Get You Started
As you start on your journey of planting in the fall, there are a few tips that you may want to keep in mind to guide you. The most important thing to remember is to mulch, mulch, and more mulch. The best thing that you can do for your plants in the fall is to maintain moisture in your soil with mulch and to help the roots to grow strong. You’ll also want to keep in mind that your plants need less water than they do in the summer. With fall comes the elimination of evaporation, which means that your plants will need less water.
