Indiana property owners with a bit of a “green thumb” are always thinking of the next outdoor project. Unfortunately, we have to work with nature’s schedule, which means planting that flower, shrub or tree at the appropriate time. You may have to wait to plant that specific flower that popped into your head, but the good news is, except in the dead of winter or the middle of the summer, there’s usually something that it’s the perfect moment to plant.
Best time to plant flowers
Just like with grasses, there are cool-season and warm-season varieties with flowers, which will need to be planted at different times. There are also annual and perennial varieties of flowers. Annuals, as the name indicates, will have to be planted every year; whereas, perennials will only need to be replanted once the previous flower has lived its full life.
Cool-season annual and warm-season annual flowers can both be planted in spring, but warm-season varieties should be planted a bit later in the spring, like mid May, so a late frost won’t take them out. The fall is also a good time to plant, especially for perennial varieties, like daylilies and iris.
Best time to plant a shrub
Shrubs are perennial, in that they do not live only a single year, and can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinct from trees in their shape, sometimes being called a “bush” depending on the variety.
It is fairly well established that in an area, like central Indiana, that has clear hot and cold seasons, the best time to plant a shrub is in the fall. You can plant shrubs in other seasons, and they will often thrive, but the fall is cool enough where there is no above-ground growth, so all the energy can be devoted to getting the roots firmly established. It is also a good moist season, while spring and summer may require you to water the plants a bit to keep them healthy. If you can’t plant in the fall, the very early spring is the next best for similar reasons.
Best time to plant a tree
When planting a tree, it is typical to use one that has been “transplanted,” meaning did its early growth before being dug up and transferred to you. This is a sensitive state for a tree, because its roots are not well established, and its environment in general is in flux.
To give it the best chance, try to plant the tree in the early spring. Unlike the shrubs, you can’t avoid having above-ground growth. so planting in the fall can lead to a higher risk of damaging frosts before it gets its roots established. And in the summer, the above-ground growth will take a lot of its energy from root growth. Early spring is a great time, because the young tree will not freeze, but the weather isn’t warm enough to cause intense above-ground action.
Need some advice (or help)? Call Anthony’s
Getting the timing just right can be tough. But those in Bloomington, Indiana, and the surrounding area, trust Anthony’s Lawn Care and Landscaping to hit these delicate time windows just right. If you want to benefit from our knowledge and expertise, or have us do the job ourselves, give us a call at (812) 345-5694 today.
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