Most homeowners think of spring as planting season, but if you ask us, fall is the best time of year to put new trees and shrubs in the ground here in the Piedmont Triad. The air is cooler, the soil is still warm and the plants get months to settle in before they ever have to face a North Carolina summer. Here is why we encourage homeowners in Greensboro, Reidsville and the surrounding counties to plant now rather than wait until April.
Why Fall Beats Spring for Planting in the Piedmont
When you plant in fall, the top growth of a tree or shrub slows down and goes dormant, but the roots keep working. Our soil holds summer warmth well into November, so roots continue to spread and anchor the plant long after the leaves drop. By the time spring arrives, that plant already has an established root system and can put its energy into new growth instead of simply trying to survive.
Compare that to a spring planting. A shrub installed in April has only a few weeks before the heat arrives, and it spends its first summer stressed, thirsty and vulnerable. We see far fewer losses with fall plantings, and the plants simply look better their first year.
What Red Clay Means for New Plantings
Our Piedmont red clay is rich in minerals, but it is dense and drains slowly. A hole dug too deep or too narrow in clay can act like a bathtub, holding water around the roots and suffocating the plant. Fall planting helps because the soil is easier to work than it is in a dry August, and the cooler season gives roots time to push out into the surrounding ground. A few things we pay attention to in clay soil:
- Digging the hole two to three times wider than the root ball, but no deeper
- Setting the top of the root ball slightly above the surrounding grade so water drains away
- Loosening circling roots on container-grown plants so they grow outward
- Backfilling with the native soil rather than a pocket of loose amendments that holds water
- Addressing low, soggy spots with regrading or drainage before anything goes in the ground
Good Choices for Fall Planting in Our Area
Nearly any hardy tree or shrub does well planted in fall, but some are especially suited to our climate and soil. Shade trees like maples and oaks, flowering trees like dogwoods, redbuds and crape myrtles, and evergreen shrubs like hollies, boxwoods and loropetalum all establish reliably in autumn. Camellias are a Southern favorite that bloom in the cool months, and azaleas and hydrangeas benefit from a fall start too. We help homeowners choose varieties that fit the light, drainage and mature size of each spot.
How We Plant for Long-Term Success
A plant is only as good as its installation. Our custom plantings and softscape work starts with the site, not the nursery. We look at how water moves across the yard, where the sun hits through the day and how the new plants will relate to your house, patio and walkways. Then we handle the details that make the difference:
- Healthy, well-rooted nursery stock sized for the space
- Proper spacing so shrubs fill in without crowding each other or your foundation
- A two to three inch layer of mulch or pine straw, kept pulled back from trunks and stems
- Staking only when a tree truly needs it, and removing stakes once it is anchored
- Clear watering guidance for the first season
Caring for New Plantings Through Winter
Fall plantings are low maintenance, but they are not no maintenance. Water deeply once or twice a week through the fall if rain is scarce, and keep watering on mild winter days during dry spells, especially for evergreens, which lose moisture through their leaves all winter. Hold off on fertilizer until spring so you do not push tender new growth right before a freeze. A good mulch layer insulates the roots against the occasional hard cold snap or ice event we get in the Piedmont.
Ready to Plant This Fall?
Whether you want a few foundation shrubs, a shade tree for the backyard or a complete planting plan for a new home, fall gives your landscape the best possible start. Garrison’s Landscaping has been planting in Piedmont Triad red clay for more than 25 years, and we would be glad to help you make the most of the season. Request a free estimate today and let’s get your new trees and shrubs in the ground while the timing is right.