If you think of spring as prime planting season, you might be surprised to find out fall planting has its merits – if you know what to plant in the fall. Certain perennials, grasses and trees will do well with fall planting, perhaps even better than planting in the spring.
So, if you want to know what plants to plant in the fall, we have some ideas for you. Let’s discuss some fall plantings that will enhance your landscaping now and in the future. First -here’s some general fall planting tips for Northeast Ohio:
- It’s important to know when to start planting in the fall: plant before the frost. After the first hard frost, it’s too late to start planting.
- Don’t plant spring bulbs too early though, or 80-degree days might encourage blooming; you want bulbs to settle in, take root and bloom in the spring.
- Plant cool season grasses. In Ohio, these grass types perform better and can be planted in the fall.
Bulbs that Bloom in Spring
Fall is a great time to plant your spring-blooming perennials: daffodils, tulips, hyacinths etc. Visit your local garden centers and look for fall sales on spring bulbs and then plant once the temperatures are 50 or below at night. That way, your bulbs won’t bloom too early in the heat, and the fall will give them a good chance to take root. Fall showers will help adequately water them, too.
Cool Season Grasses
If you need to seed a lawn, or use sod, fall is an excellent time to start growing cool season grasses in Ohio. Kentucky Bluegrass, rye grass and tall fescue are good cool season grasses that grow well in this region.
Planting grasses in cool weather can be very successful in Ohio. With the cooler temperatures of fall, the grass has better chance to take root without burning out. With these more forgiving temperatures, grass benefits and your lawn can be ready to use in the spring.
Fall Perennials
When determining what flowers to plant in the fall, one plant stands out. Mums are the quintessential fall plant, and if you want an easy way to add fall color that you don’t have to replant every year, plant mums. Just make sure you choose a “hardy mum” or “garden mum.”
Hostas, ornamental grasses and spring-blooming phlox are other good perennials to plant in the fall.
After you determine what perennials to plant in the fall, it’s also a good time to divide any perennials that have grown too large for their space. Hostas, phlox and daylilies do well when divided and replanted in the fall.
Trees and Shrubs for Fall
Yes, you can plant trees and shrubs in the fall. By planting in the fall, you give the plants another growing season before the hot sun and drought that can happen in Ohio summers.
When you plant trees in the spring, they can be subject to hot summers only a few months after planting. By choosing to plant in the fall, you give the tress a little more time to take root and establish themselves before that stress takes place. You are essentially giving your trees a little jump start.
If you want to know what to plant this fall in the way of shrubs, there are two that do best with a fall planting: rhododendrons and azaleas. Make sure your fall-planted trees and shrubs get enough water up until the ground freezes.
Fall Garden Veggies
What are the best vegetables to plant in the fall? For those who are into vegetable harvesting, spring is not the only planting season.
If you want a quick fall harvest, you can plant a few veggies early in the fall. Vegetables such as beets, radishes and turnips grow in cooler temperatures and only take a few months to grow. Beans grow quickly, so you can start new crops late in the summer and have a fall vegetable harvest.
Other spring vegetables can be planted in the fall, and are ready to harvest in the early spring. These vegetables do well with a longer period of growth. These include onions, shallots, garlic, spinach or leaf lettuce. Add these to your garden beds now and enjoy the results in the spring!
Have the best lawn on the block
Now that you have some ideas of what to plant this fall, you can add to your landscaping and even enjoy a vegetable harvest.
If you want your lawn to look its best, and be the envy of the neighborhood, Grass Master has you covered. If you’re looking for expert lawn care treatments, we have it. It’s all part of our Deluxe Lawn Care package. You get perfectly balanced fertilization, including crab grass control and insect control, so your lawn can look its best. Contact us for more information.
