It might be difficult to see the "life" of your garden or lawn during the fall and winter seasons, but that doesn't mean that these seasons are ideal times to insure a vibrant lawn, landscape or garden next spring.
You have questions about fall garden needs? We have answers!
Why is fall a great time to plant?
- With the days getting shorter, the soil is cooling down, yet the sun is still warm, and the rain has increased. All these are perfect conditions to plant trees, shrubs, evergreens and perennials before winter sets in.
- The plants are done growing for the season, so the root system does not have to support top growth, which allows the roots to grow yet this fall and be ready for next spring.
- Most plants that were unavailable for sale this summer, now can be harvested from our nursery fields, so selection is better.
- Fall, with the cooler temperatures, is more fun to work in. You could fix up existing beds, plant new ones and then sit back in spring and enjoy the beauty.
Is now the time to plant bulbs?
- Now is the only time Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Hyacinths and all the other specialty bulbs can be found to purchase in bulb form. The selection here at Lied's is great right now.
- In being able to plant in bulb form, you can save some money and it's easier to plant just the bulb.
- The cool temperatures make planting at this time of year more enjoyable.
- With very little effort on your part, you can plant many "bouquets" of bulbs and enjoy a tremendous color display starting as early as March next year.
Why is winter a good time to prune?
- Pruning in winter is the healthiest time of the year to prune. You don't have to worry about any insects or diseases that might enter a tree through a new pruning wound. An example of this would be the beetle that spreads Dutch Elm Disease.
- A plant is totally dormant in the winter, so pruning then does not encourage any new growth, which would just make more pruning for you again later in the season.
- Winter is the best time to see the form, shape and structure of the plants you want to prune. This makes it easier to prune out broken branches, crossing branches, poorly shaped branches, etc.
- With no leaves on the tree, it's easier to see what you are doing and it's easier to clean up.
Did you know you can plant in the winter?
- Winter is a great time to move bigger trees and evergreens. The frozen ground provides better support for a bigger root ball and for the heavier equipment needed to plant bigger plants.
- Lied's has planted many trees in the dead of winter (Jan. 1 to March 15), with no greater plant replacement problems than our plantings done during season. In fact, there is less transplant shock when planted in the winter.
- Since frozen ground makes it easier to plant, an installation cost on a plant can be quite a bit less than at other times of the season.
- We have many plants out in our Nursery too big to plant at any other time than winter, so with a small investment, you can have instant shade and/or an instant screen.
For the complete Fall Garden Guide, click here.
