Why autumn is the best time to plant (almost) anything
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Suggested lead photograph: why autumn is the best time to plant (almost) anything
In autumn the soil is still warm, the air is cool and rain is reliable, so plants can grow new roots before winter and burst into growth in spring, with far less watering from you.
Warm soil, cool air
After summer, the ground holds its warmth well into autumn. Roots keep growing in warm soil even as top growth slows down, which means new plants can settle in and spread their roots before winter. At the same time, cooler air puts less stress on leaves and less water is lost.
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Suggested photograph: nature does the watering
Nature does the watering
Autumn and winter rain keeps new plantings moist with little help from you. Compare that with spring planting, where a dry May or a hot June can mean weeks of daily watering.
A head start in spring
A tree, hedge or perennial planted in autumn has a whole winter to establish. When spring arrives, it is ready to grow away strongly, and it copes much better with its first summer, which matters more than ever as summers become hotter and drier.
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Suggested photograph: what to plant now
What to plant now
Autumn suits almost everything we grow. Root-balled trees are lifted from late autumn, so this is the season for trees and multi-stem trees. It is also the time for bare-root and root-balled hedging, from yew to native mixes, and for evergreen and deciduous shrubs and clipped topiary. Most hardy perennials and grasses establish beautifully from autumn planting too.
The few exceptions
A handful of plants prefer to wait until spring. These are tender plants, and some grey-leaved, sun-loving plants such as lavender, which can sit wet and rot on heavy soils over winter, so if you garden on clay, plant these in spring. Whatever you are planting, choose a day when the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
Getting it right
Prepare the ground well, plant at the right depth, water in thoroughly and mulch. Our guides on planting a multi-stem tree and planting a hedge take you through it step by step.
Plan your autumn planting
Visit our Row Town showroom to choose trees, hedging and topiary for the season ahead, or book time with a specialist.