Planting Trees in Fall in the Northern US

There's an old saying in the nursery business: fall is for planting. Across the northern US that's mostly true. The air is cool, so the tree isn't losing much water through its leaves, but the soil is still warm, so roots keep growing for weeks after the top goes dormant. A tree planted in early fall often has a head start on one planted the following spring.

When to plant

Plant from about the time the leaves start to change until roughly six weeks before the ground freezes. In most of the northern U.S. that's September through October, earlier up north and in the mountains. Roots keep growing as long as the soil stays above about 40°F, and planting early in that window gives them the most time.

If you miss the window, the tree can still go in, but it has less time to root and needs more help over winter.

Trees that do better in spring

Some trees are slow to root and more likely to struggle if planted in fall. Extension services often list:

• Birch
• Magnolia
• Tulip tree
• Some oaks
• Redbud
• Hawthorn

They can be planted in fall, but spring is safer. Most maples, lindens, spruces, pines, and crabapples handle fall planting well. Ask your nursery; they'll know what does well in your area.

Container, balled-and-burlapped, or bare root?

• Container trees are the easiest. Before planting, check for circling roots and tease or cut them so they grow outward.
• Balled-and-burlapped (B&B) trees come with a root ball wrapped in burlap and often a wire basket. Once the tree is in the hole, cut away the wire and burlap from at least the top half of the root ball. Synthetic burlap must come off completely.
• Bare root trees are cheaper and lighter, but they're mostly sold in early spring. Plant them right away and keep roots moist.

How to plant it

1. Find the root flare. That's where the trunk widens at the base. On many nursery trees it's buried under extra soil in the pot or root ball. Scrape it away until you find the flare.
2. Dig wide, not deep. Make the hole two to three times as wide as the root ball and only as deep as the root ball, so the flare sits at or slightly above the ground. Planting too deep is the most common cause of young tree failure.
3. Rough up the sides of the hole if your soil is heavy clay, so roots can push out.
4. Set the tree and stand back to make sure it's straight.
5. Backfill with the soil you dug out. Don't fill the hole with rich compost or potting mix; roots tend to stay in the soft soil and never grow out into the yard.
6. Water as you fill to settle the soil and remove air pockets.
7. Mulch 2 to 4 inches deep in a wide circle, keeping it a few inches off the trunk. No mulch volcanoes.

Don't fertilize at planting. The tree needs roots, not a push of new growth.

Staking

Most trees don't need stakes. If yours is tall, top-heavy, or on a windy site, stake it loosely with wide straps so the trunk can still move a little (movement builds a stronger trunk). Remove stakes after one growing season.

Water into winter

This is the step that decides whether a fall-planted tree makes it. Water deeply once a week, unless it rains about an inch, right up until the ground freezes. A slow soak at the base with a hose is better than a quick spray. See water your trees before the ground freezes.

Protect it for winter

A newly planted tree is the most likely to get sunscald and rodent damage. Put on a trunk guard and a hardware-cloth collar after the leaves drop. See wrapping young trees.

Next spring

Don't panic if the tree leafs out a little late or looks thin in its first year. It's putting energy into roots. Keep watering through its first couple of summers, and it'll take off by year three.

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