The heat of summer has passed, the breeze is getting cooler, and the leaves are changing colors. Maybe you’re looking out into your yard and seeing a few holes. Fear not! It’s not too late to add plants to your garden. Early to mid-fall is an excellent time to plant and even late fall can still be an excellent time to add plants to your garden. Here’s how to give your plants the best shot at thriving:

Start by following the best planting practices. Pick the right spot for your plant with its preferred sun conditions and drainage, keeping in mind the conditions of that spot through the summer as well. Dig a hole at least twice as wide as the width of the pot and just as deep. If your soil is especially rocky or clay, replace ⅓ of the soil with a soil amendment like Bumper Crop. Alternatively, you can use Biotone to help strengthen the roots and reduce transplant shock.

Plant it in the ground. We’re often asked if a certain perennial will come back in a pot or if an evergreen will live in a container. The answer is: it’s risky. Plants that are planted directly in the ground enjoy insulation from the surrounding soil, which tends to stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the surrounding air. Even if we have snow or a freeze that affects the leaves of a plant, their roots are protected by the soil. Planting things in containers exposes the roots to potential freezing. So for the best success for things you want to come back next year–plant them in the ground.

If you insist on a container, choose one that is large enough to contain soil to protect the roots and place it in a protected area, away from whipping winds. Choose a plant that is hardy at least one or two zones lower than your growing zone (for us, that means looking at something hardy to zone 5). Please note that our guarantee only applies to plants that are planted in the ground for this reason.

Apply Mulch. Mulch is a hugely underrated component to successful gardening. As mentioned above, winter brings freezing temperatures which can threaten the roots of your plant. By applying a layer of mulch 3-4” deep, you can help protect the new plant from the harshest of winter conditions. It can help the ground keep from freezing as quickly and give your plants a longer period for root growth. Do not pile mulch up against the trunk or branches of a plant to help prevent disease.

Alternative to mulching with wood? Rake your extra leaves into the bed. Leaves are the forest’s natural mulch, providing overwintering habitat for animals and insulation for the forest floor.

Don’t Forget to Water. Fall tends to be cool and wet and your plant will be less active in growing as it prepares for winter. This is why planting in the fall can be such a good time! That being said, you still want to water. Plan on watering your new tree or shrub deeply 3 times a week for the first month or so. Only skip watering if we get ¼-½ inch of rain. In the winter, your plants will likely not need supplemental watering so once you need to turn off your hose to prevent freezing, don’t worry too much about those new plants until we hit spring.

Have Patience in the Spring. While some plants like redbuds and columbine flush out new growth in the early spring, others are literal late-bloomers. If you don’t see new growth on your hydrangea, butterfly bush, or dogwood in the early spring, that doesn’t mean that the plant is dead. Some plants won’t begin to leaf out until late-April to mid-May. When in doubt, call your local garden center (like Colonial Gardens) and we’d be happy to give you some guidance.

Spring gets all the planting glory, but fall is still a great time to plant! We continue to install landscape designs well into November and even December, with a 100% guarantee on those plants for the next year. If we didn’t feel confident in the success rate of fall plantings, that’s something we simply wouldn’t do. So don’t be afraid to plant as the leaves are falling! You might just save yourself some work and be rewarded with a thriving garden in the spring.