Temperatures are starting to dip here in the Quad Cities Metropolitan area, but don’t let that fool you—the gardening season is far from over, and so many of our favorite plants, flowers, and trees are well-suited to fall planting. Your bright summer annuals had their time in the sun, but now you can make the most of this gorgeous fall scenery with some new additions to the garden that complement the warm, golden palette of this sensational season. It’s also a perfect time to plant some more permanent landscaping plants like trees and shrubs, as well as spring bulbs, so they’re ready to pop up as soon as the snow melts. Here’s our latest guide on what to plant during fall in the Quad Cities, so you can get your final fix of gardening in before you pack things up for the winter.
Fall Planting Guide: Late-Blooming Flowers
There are so many fabulous flowers out there that bloom in fall! It’s so lovely to have a yard full of colorful blossoms during those later months when we scramble to get in a few final backyard barbecues. While they can certainly be planted directly in the garden bed, you might be able to hang onto your fall-blooming flowers for longer if you plant them in containers. That way, if we get a sudden cold spell earlier than expected, you can always move the tender plants inside to protect them from frost. These flowers are great options for fall planting:
- Chrysanthemums
- Chelone
- Tricyrtis Toad Lily
- Sedum
- Agastache
- Asters
- Japanese Anemone
- Ornamental Grasses
Fall Planting Guide: Shrubs and Trees
Fall and spring are ideal tree-planting seasons, as the cool temperatures make the transition process smoother. Always remember to water your new transplants thoroughly, we recommend turning on the hose to a pencil size trickle 6-8” from the base of the plant. Water your plants the day they are planted and then again in 3 days of planting, after that we recommend watering every 10-14 days to help the roots establish, you will do this until the ground freezes. Trees should be watered for 20 minutes on each side of the root ball, shrubs 15-20 minutes each plant, and perennials 8-12 minutes each plant (if it is really hot and dry you may need to water more often). If your trees have smooth bark consider wrapping their trunks in tree wrap to help protect them from frost and animal damage. A layer of mulch across the soil will help keep their roots a bit warmer and conserve moisture. Just make sure you don’t pile mulch up too high around the base of the plant, or else you’ve got a recipe for rot.
Fall Planting Guide: For Fall Color
Planting shrubs and trees in the fall is always a worthwhile investment. When planting mix in some fresh compost or organic matter into the soil, so the plants will get a little extra boost while they’re in hibernation mode. Adding a layer of mulch across the soil surface will also help to keep them insulated once the ground freezes. Here are some of the best plants for fall color.
- Chokeberry
- Viburnum
- Burning Bushes
- Fothergilla
- Azaleas
- Callicarpa
- Maples
- Dogwood
- River Birch
We have so many colorful varieties of plants and flowers ready for you to take home and enjoy all through the fall. We’d be happy to assist you with planting trees and shrubs this fall if you haven’t quite mastered the art yet, so don’t hesitate to visit us at our garden center in the Quad Cities Metro area.
Learn more about planting trees in the fall.
