One of our suppliers at the garden center is running a promotion called “Fall is for Planting,” complete with little tags on their plants and banners for us to display. Doesn’t everyone already know that I thought, but I’ve discovered they do not. So here are some reasons why fall is for planting.
Usually fall brings cooler temperature which means comfort and less sweat. Less sweat is good when you’re planting.
Usually with the cooler temperatures come rains which means less watering after you plant.. Less watering is good if you hate it like I do.
With the cooler temperatures and the rains, the sun begins drop in the sky prompting plants to focus on food storage. This means root growth. More roots is good for the plant.
With the cooler temperature, the rains, the rooting, the sun dropping, garden centers are eager to get rid of their stock. Sales are good for the pocketbook.
One note of interest: fall is not officially here. Yes, we are wearing sweaters and sweatshirts in the morning, but according to the Farmer’s Almanac, Fall’s official arrival is September 22 at 10:29 p.m. EDT. So prepare your goodbyes. The summer sun is going south across the equator.
Don’t fret if you’re not ready. There’s still plenty of good gardening weather left. Fall is for planting after all, and Old Man Winter doesn’t officially arrive until December 21. But how late can you plant? By December 21, there’s usually been a snowfall or two or three.
It really depends on what you’re planting. Because of their weight, larger trees and shrubs can be planted pretty late as long as you are able to dig a hole as opposed to chipping open a hole. Herbaceous material like perennials should be rooted in before winter hits so they can resist being heaved out of the ground by the freezing and thawing of the soil. Try to get them in by the end of October. Later than that and keep an eye on them through the winter, pushing them back in should they get the heave ho.
Fall is for pansies
Despite my instructions above, I did plant some pansies in December last year. Amazingly enough, despite the harsh winter, they survived. Many people associate pansies with annuals, but they are quite hardy, and can be planted in the fall.
While pansies have always been planted in late fall for winter color in Southern gardens, they’ve traditionally been a spring crop in the North. Now, using names like Icicle and Cool Wave, growers are starting to market pansies to garden centers in the North as another option to add to fall color sales.
Getting two seasons of color out of pansies is not a bad idea. Many people don’t think it’s worth planting pansies in the spring because once the summer heat hits, they go downhill. They don’t look that hot after the winter either, but once it warms a little, they begin to look like they should.
Fall is for Gesneriads
If you’re stumped for one more party question to hand out to your guests, try this one: name one popular houseplant that is a member of the Gesneriad family. The answer is African violet. There is only one reason I know that. Each fall the Ohio State African Violet Society has their annual convention at Kingwood Center with two days of plant sales and a day-long show. It was always one of my favorite events there.
It is this Friday and Saturday. The only cost is the admission to Kingwood, and of course, all the plants that you will just have to have. Plant sales are on Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-4. The show is on Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. but it will be closed for a time for judging. Check with Kingwood for more details. It is well worth the visit, and you might even come away knowing a few more members of the Gesneriad family. Fall is for learning.
