As the cooler weather ushers in the fall season, many gardeners looking to stretch out the growing season. Fall is a great opportunity for planting. Between now and mid November is one of the best times of year to plant spring-blooming bulbs, cool-season annuals and vegetables, and many trees, shrubs and perennials. Cooler temperatures, soaking rains, and less insect and disease pressure help your plants establish stronger root systems before the winter. At Colonial Classics we have the largest most diverse inventory in the Tristate for all your fall planting needs.

Fall is an ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, spring bulbs, and cool weather annuals. When the air temperatures become cooler than the soil, new top growth slows, allowing plants to focus their energy on root development. The moisture from fall rains also helps trees and shrubs establish strong root systems. Most deciduous shrubs can be successfully planted in fall. Spring-blooming broadleafed evergreens, such as rhododendrons and azaleas, also prefer fall or early spring planting. Autumn into early winter is also the peak time to plant spring-blooming bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, alliums, and crocuses.  

Fall is a great time for an infusion of color. Cool-season flowering annuals put on their best show in the fall and will often remain vibrant through November or longer. They don’t mind frosty evenings and many will even tolerate temperatures down to the mid-20s. Pansies are among the hardiest and most colorful of the cool-season annuals. Other showy annuals that can take the cold include sweet alyssum, snap dragon, dianthus, and cornflower. Although mums are actually perennials and best planted in the spring, they’re often treated as annuals in the fall in northern climates and come in an array of beautiful colors.

Our garden center/nursery is open 7 days a week to help you select the most appropriate plants for your landscape and answer your gardening questions.