Fall is for planting on Long Island! Longstanding university research confirms that you can plant it all in the fall—trees, shrubs, perennials, lawns, and spring flowering bulbs!
Need that privacy hedge? Lawn less than desirable? Landscape beds could use a little help? Or you’ve snoozed every fall and missed out on all those glorious tulips blooming at your neighbors come spring?
Here are some compelling reasons why you should plant this fall…
Warm soil + cool air = happy plants. Just about every hardy plant on Long Island prefers moderate temperatures compared to summer’s scorching heat. At the same time, plants like to sink their roots in warm soil. Fall is the only time of year when the soil is still warm from the summer sun, but daily average day and night temperatures are more comfortable for plants (and people too). Thankfully, Long Island typically enjoys an extended fall growing season of warm days, cool nights, and adequate rainfall for newly-planted trees, shrubs, lawns, and perennials to adapt to new planting sites.
Less insect pest and disease pressure. Spring and summer are more active times for insect and disease problems on plants and lawns. Less stress helps with plant establishment.
Plants have a head start for next spring, so you’ll get to enjoy your landscape that much sooner in 2021. Plants that are installed in the fall are a season ahead with root development. Did you know that plant roots continue to grow until soil temperatures drop below 40 degrees F?
Better roots can mean better drought tolerance. Plants get extra months of root growth before they have to withstand possible drought conditions the following summer.
Spring and summer flowering and fruiting has passed; the plant can now focus its energies on root growth.