Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Planting before the ground freezes
You can still plant healthy shrubs and trees into November! The ground in our zone 3 and 4 climates doesn’t “generally” freeze until late in November and December. That means you can take advantage of deals at your local nursery.
When shopping, don’t be afraid to take the plants out of their container, if you can do so without harming them, to see that the roots are in good shape. Root bound is not a problem unless you can’t be brutal in your root pruning.
Don’t buy plants with a lot of yellowing, mushy roots. A few roots or mushy is okay but prune them out! To get your plant out of the container, roll it on the ground to loosen it up. Dig a hole that’s twice as wide but no deeper than your plant’s container.
It’s important to plant your new plant at the same level or even slightly higher than the surrounding soil. Before planting, pull those longer roots out to the side, not circling. If they’re too long, it’s okay to cut them back to fit the hole.
The video below was planting a crabapple tree in Spring 2020. Apple trees are the ONLY trees that experts say should be planted in May or June. But I wanted you to see the best way to get the tree out of the pot and PRUNE those roots!
This time of year, adding fertilizer is not important but adding root stimulator will help, it’s THEIR establishment you want, not grow more foliage.
Water well, let it soak in and then add the rest of the soil and tamp it down. Leave a ditch around the outer edge of your planting hole to allow the water to soak in, not just travel down the lawn.Add a good 3 inches of mulch or more depending on plant size. Remember donut not volcano.
The most important thing is to continue to water your new plants until the ground freezes. Ask the nursery for a watering schedule.