A strong root system is the key to establishing a healthy plant in the landscape. We find just the right spot for our plants, amend the soil, water properly and fertilize all in the hopes our plants will build the necessary root system to sustain life. After all plants face trying times, drought, extreme heat, extreme cold, intense wind, and excessive rain, sometimes all in the same year! The best way to ensure a plant's survival through a variety of conditions is a well developed root system.

In contrast to spring, when much of the plants energy is devoted toward top growth, during the fall and winter months a plants energy is almost entirely devoted to its root system. Fall provides an ideal climate for root growth with warm soil from the preceding summer months, increased oxygen level in the soil compared to spring, and less leaf water loss because of greater deposition of cuticular wax at the leaf surface. Another factor that makes fall a great time for building a root system is the high level of stored energy (attributable to photosynthesis in the summer) that can be used for root growth.

During the fall there is a decrease of solar intensity placed on plants due to the lower angle of the sun. Less water is needed to maintain a plant in the fall lowering water bills and saving time. Essentially, fall places minimal stress on a plant while it has maximum energy reserves. This perfect mix of low stress and ample energy helps prepare the plant for winter. During the fall top growth ceases and the root system becomes all important, for it is the root system that gets a plant through the winter.

This brings us back to fall planting. Because of falls optimal root growth period, planting in the fall allows a plant to establish a much stronger root system versus planting the following spring. Root growth through the fall and winter gives a plant a much better foundation to build upon than a plant only growing through the spring when a majority of its energy is used for top growth. It may be a difference of a few inches of root growth which can dramatically increase top growth and stem caliper and provide a much heartier and luscious plant able to survive extreme conditions like heat, rain or drought far better than the plant with less root development. Remember because we are a nursery we still have a wide selection of plants available in the fall! If you are only planting in the spring you are missing out on nature's prime time for root development. So for a better spring, plant in the fall!

It should be noted that broadleaf evergreens and to a much lesser extent needled evergreens are best planted in early fall as they do better with more time to get established before winter. Also, plants that thrive in warm weather such as crepe myrtle and butterfly bush should be planted before the cool of fall because their root systems don't grow well with the absence of heat. We are always willing to help with specific planting questions and whether or not fall planting is right for you.