Plant Now for a Better Spring Garden

Spring may get most of the attention when it comes to planting, but fall is one of the best opportunities to improve your Massachusetts landscape. Cooler temperatures combined with soil that is still warm from summer can create excellent conditions for establishing trees, shrubs, perennials, and other garden favorites.

A little planting this fall can give your garden a head start and help create a stronger, more colorful landscape next spring.

Why Fall Planting Works

As temperatures cool, plants experience less heat stress than they would during the height of summer. Meanwhile, the soil retains warmth, allowing roots to continue developing.

Benefits of fall planting include:

• Cooler temperatures and less transplant stress
• Warm soil that encourages root development
• Slower moisture loss
• Less energy devoted to flowers and new foliage
• Time to begin establishing before winter

While the garden may look like it’s slowing down, important work can still be happening beneath the soil.

Plant Trees and Shrubs

Fall is a great time to tackle some of the larger projects on your landscape wish list.

Trees and shrubs can provide:

• Shade
• Privacy and screening
• Spring flowers
• Colorful fall foliage
• Evergreen structure
• Wildlife habitat
• Year-round landscape interest

Choose plants based on their mature size as well as the sunlight, soil, drainage, and space available in your landscape.

Add Perennials for Years of Color

Take a look around your garden while this year’s successes and empty spaces are still fresh in your mind.

Maybe a border needs more color, a sunny spot looks bare, or you’d like flowers during a part of the season when your garden usually slows down.

Fall is a great opportunity to add perennials and give their roots time to begin establishing before winter.

Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs Now

Dreaming about tulips, daffodils, crocus, and alliums next spring? The work starts in fall.

Spring-blooming bulbs are planted in fall so they can experience the cold period needed for their natural growth cycle.

For a bigger visual impact, plant bulbs in groups or drifts rather than placing them individually throughout the garden.

Plan for a Succession of Blooms

When you’re planting this fall, think beyond spring.

Combining plants with different bloom periods can create a landscape that changes throughout the growing season. Spring bulbs can begin the show, followed by flowering shrubs, summer perennials, and late-season flowers for fall color and pollinators.

A little planning now can mean months of interest next year.

Keep New Plantings Watered

Cooler weather doesn’t eliminate the need for watering.

Newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials need consistent moisture while their roots become established. Check soil moisture regularly during dry periods and water deeply when necessary.

Continue monitoring new plantings until the ground begins to freeze.

Finish with Mulch

After planting, add a layer of mulch around trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Mulch can help conserve moisture, moderate soil temperatures, and reduce weed competition. Keep it away from direct contact with tree trunks, shrub stems, and perennial crowns.

Plant This Fall and Enjoy It Next Spring

Don’t wait for spring to start creating next year’s garden.

Plant a new tree, create a shrub border, fill empty spaces with perennials, or tuck spring-blooming bulbs into garden beds. The work you do this fall can help set the stage for a beautiful new growing season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I plant in Massachusetts in fall?

Fall can be a good time to plant many trees, shrubs, perennials, and spring-blooming bulbs.

Why is fall good for trees and shrubs?

Cooler air reduces heat stress while soil warmed by summer can continue supporting root development.

What bulbs should I plant in fall?

Tulips, daffodils, crocus, and alliums are popular spring-blooming bulbs that are planted during fall.

Do fall-planted perennials need watering?

Yes. Newly planted perennials need adequate moisture while they begin establishing their roots.

When will fall-planted bulbs bloom?

Spring-blooming bulbs remain underground through winter and emerge at different times in spring depending on the variety.

Visit Crystal Lake Garden Shop

Fall isn’t the end of gardening season. It’s an opportunity to get a head start on next year. Visit Crystal Lake Garden Shop for trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and inspiration for your fall planting projects.

Crystal Lake Garden Shop, Plymouth
252 Summer Street
Plymouth, MA 02360

Open 7 Days: 9 AM to 5 PM

Crystal Lake Garden Shop, Carver
19 West Street
Carver, MA 02330

Open 7 Days: 9 AM to 5 PM