Did you know the Fall is an ideal time to plant? With cooler temperatures and increased rainfall, the soil stays moist, and plants have plenty of time to establish strong root systems before winter sets in. If you're thinking about adding new trees, shrubs, or perennials to your garden, September is the perfect month to get started!
Here are some excellent options for planting in the fall:
Evergreens and Deciduous Trees
September is an excellent time for planting trees! The trees and shrubs that hold their leaves all year and provide colour and interest, even in the coldest season, will have time to establish their roots and get a head start in the spring!
- Japanese Waterfall Maple: The beautiful, finely cut foliage of this small tree will add wonderful texture to beds, foundation plantings and even containers close to your patio or deck.
- Dogwood: Dogwoods add beauty with their white or pink flowers in spring and vibrant red leaves in the fall. The Pacific Dogwood - a native to British Columbia adds a stunning feature while having great drought tolerance!
- Korean Silver Fir: With its green needles that curl back to the stem displaying bright silver undersides. Purple Cones appear on young trees.
- Colorado Blue Spruce: a sturdy and tough tree that tolerates extreme cold, high winds, and heavy snow. Perfect to plant for a privacy screen or a touch of colour with its bright blue-green needles and dense branches.
- Magnolia Tree: Known for their beautiful blooms in the spring, Magnolia Trees can come in a variety of shapes and colours!
- Montrose Charm White Spruce: A fast grower, this tall narrow columnar tree has needles that are light green and very short. Once established, it is cold-hardy and drought resistant. This columnar tree is perfect for landscaping, borders, small spaces, and erosion control.
(Images Right to Left: Emerald Spire Crab Apple, Korean Silver Spruce, Scarlet Fire Dogwood)
Fruit Trees & Shrubs
Now is the perfect time to always get that fruit tree you've been wanting! Establishing the route systems now, before spring is extremely important for spring's major growing time. Fruit trees not only grow delicious fruit but often have stunning blooms in the spring and beautiful colour in the fall. It's a win-win! While you're aware of common fruit trees, here are a few unique options to consider:
- Emerald Spire Crab Apple Tree: A beautiful cultivator with columnar habit covered in stunning fuchsia blooms in spring; fruit is light green and persistent and adds ornamental value for fall and winter.
- Combination Hazelnut Tree: a delicious combination of 'Yamhill' and 'Jefferson' hazelnut in one! Together they produce a heavy crop of round, medium-brown nuts in early to mid-fall, Their yellow-green flowers bloom in late winter to early spring and make a great addition to home orchards, backyard gardens or even mixed shrub borders.
- Italian Honey Fig Tree: Known for its delicious honey-sweet figs, this tree is known to be reliable and hardy with beautiful dark green foliage.
Shrubs
- Hydrangea : These iconic shrubs bloom in summer but can be planted now to ensure a strong root system. Panicle hydrangeas, with their conical blooms, are especially hardy.
- Rhododendron: Rhododendrons are a must for any Pacific Northwest garden. Their evergreen leaves and vibrant spring blooms make them a great year-round addition.
- Elderberry: a native, fast-growing shrub that offers beautiful berries by late summer and stunning fall colour. Known for being durable, adaptable and tough, elderberries can grow in a variety of conditions. While there are many beautiful varieties, a must mention is the popular Black lace Elderberry offers delicate black-purple foliage with finely cut, like lace. Light pink flowers in the spring and black berries in the fall
- Summerwine Ninebark: beautiful wine-coloured foliage that's fast-growing, has few pest problems, and low maintenance. Its graceful, arching habit makes it very appealing in the landscape. It adds beautiful color and vibrancy to your garden, especially in spring. In early June it blooms with white button-like flowers that accent the leaves nicely.
- Daphne: A show-stopping feature offering a profusion of blush pink flowers that are highly fragrant with a beautiful light citrus undertone.
- Hardy Hibiscus: Whether you're looking for the highly sought-after Rose of Sharon, or the equally as beautiful Hibiscus Moscheuteous, you'll receive dramatically stunning flowers! An excellent addition to your landscape with robust growth and prolific blooms until end of summer to early fall.
- Burning Bush: a popular and versatile shrub that adds a touch of beauty and drama to any garden. With its compact size and stunning fall colour, it is an excellent choice for smaller gardens, container plantings, or as a low-growing border plant.
Summerwine Ninebark Hardy Hibiscus - Moscheutos
Perennials:
Perennials planted now will have enough time to settle and establish before spring and summer next year! Here are some great options:
- Lavender
- Echinacea
- Rudbeckia
- Sedum
- Hosta
- Peonies
Salad Seeds to Plant in September
There are many different types of salads that can be sown and will grow in the colder months. Not only can you be harvesting them to enjoy as part of a meal, but they will also keep colour and interest in your garden. Sow seeds such as:
- Pak Choi
- Mizuna
- Spinach
- Giant Red Mustard
Plant Spring Bulbs in September
Daffodils, Hyacinths, and Crocus bulbs are some of the most well-known spring flowers. If you want to enjoy their colourful abundance, you need to get them in the ground in fall. Please visit our garden centre for a wide range of spring-flowering bulbs. You can plant tulips all the way up to mid-December, so if you have enough to do in the fall garden, leave those until later and get planting the rest from now. Here are some of our favourite spring bulbs (that need to be planted in fall):
- Daffodils
- Hyacinths
- Crocus
- Allium
- Tulips
- Muscari
- Ranunculus
Why Fall Planting Works
The key to fall planting success is the moderate weather, which allows plants to focus on root development rather than top growth. With more consistent rainfall, you can expect less watering compared to summer planting, and the cooler days reduce the risk of transplant shock. Fall planting allows just enough time for the roots of a plant to become established before winter. And that acclimation period is extremely important! Planting in the fall has built-in advantages for establishing young plants as well. Autumn’s cooler temperatures, along with its shorter daylight cycles help trees and shrubs acclimate with less stress. With less heat, drying winds and less hours of sun, their root system is much more likely to keep up, and less likely to dry out as well. Less watering needed and less stress. Roots continue to grow until the deep freeze comes. But they also start growing in very early spring when the ground thaws before their new leaves burst forth! In essence, a fall planting sets the stage for a tree, shrub or perennial to be ready for fast growth the following spring. And more importantly, not have to spend all its resources and efforts on simply surviving!
Visit Us for Expert Advice
At Little Mountain Greenhouse, we have everything you need for fall planting success. Whether you’re looking for hardy shrubs, stunning trees, or colorful perennials, our team is here to help you make the best choices for your garden. Stop by to explore our fall plant selection and get started on your autumn garden today!
