The Absolute Best Time to Plant Shrubs and Trees

By Calin Oancea and Florin Gabriel

4/20/20244 min read

In this article, we will show you what the best times to plant are and also reveal why it is so, and explain what you need to look out for when planting in these times.

The best time to plant plants shrubs, trees, or pretty much every plant is usually in late fall or early spring.

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a shrub with green pine needles
a shrub with green pine needles
a small garden shrub in fall
a small garden shrub in fall

Why is Fall the Second Best Time for Planting?

No matter if tiny low-maintenance shrubs or Dwarf flowering bushes, the best time to plant shrubs and trees is fall similar to the best planting time for perennials.

But it can also depend on the climate of your area. During fall, specifically from September to November, the soil remains warm enough to encourage root growth before the onset of winter.

Planting in fall gives shrubs about six weeks to establish strong roots before the ground begins to freeze, making it a favorable time.

The cooler weather and lesser competition for nutrients during fall are other factors that contribute to making it a suitable planting season for planting annuals or any other plant​​.

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We planted countless plants and concluded that the second best time to plant, companion plant, and afterward care for shrubs, bushes, and trees is early spring.

The period is favored as the second best time next to fall due to warming soil and moderate temperatures, which are important for root growth.

The mild climate reduces stress on new plantings, and the typical spring rainfall helps settle the soil around the roots, which minimizes the need for extra watering.

Additionally, planting in early spring allows for a longer growing season, helping the plants establish well before winter, which means better root development and healthier shrubs.

Why is Early Spring the Second Best Time for Planting?

a person is diging up plants with a showel
a person is diging up plants with a showel
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leafy shrubs growing together
leafy shrubs growing together
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dark green design

Summary

In this no-fluff, super actionable guide you learned that late fall and early spring are the best planting times to plant your plants because the weather conditions are not too hot but not too cold, and also not too dry perfect to establish a new plant. Our experts always plant in during these times because it simply yields the best results.

Sources

Nature and Sustainability uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies to support the facts we describe in our articles. Please read our editorial policy to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Planting shrubs information: How To Plant Shrubs | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

  2. Planting trees information: How to Plant a Tree - Tree Canada

  3. Information on planting in correlation with climate and other factors that influence tree and bush growth: Environmental factors affecting plant growth | OSU Extension Service (oregonstate.edu)

  4. Ideal soil temperature for planting and how it influences growth: Soil Temperature For Optimal Crop Growth And Development (eos.com)

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Calin Oancea
Calin Oancea
Green Box
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Article By:

Calin is in the garden industry for 5 years now and has a lot of knowledge about gardening and plants. He owns this website and responsible for most of the content.

Reviewed By:

Florin is responsible for reviewing most of the articles, the design and occasionally making improvements so that everyhing we publish is deam good.