Fall Planting 101: What to plant where and when

Fall is a great time to be working in the garden. The season's colours may be orange, but you can go green and be environmentally responsible while planting and prepping your garden for another glorious year. Consider the following Fall gardening tips from The Home Depot Canada:

Bulbs for

the months ahead

Now is the time to think ahead to warmer weather and how you want your garden to look all season long. Start by selecting a wide-range of bulbs, several for each season, to ensure your garden is colourful for as long as possible. Have a palette in mind and buy different sizes in this palette to create an organized and colourful effect.

Planting bulbs

There are a few basic rules when it comes to planting. First, plant bulbs pointy side up, by the dozen. Try not to plant in straight rows. For a natural effect, let the bulbs roll out of a basket on the ground and plant them where they fall.

Foil the squirrels

Squirrels love to rampage through a garden, digging up bulbs and taking a bite. Squirrels don't like narcissus though, so plant them with tulips, which they do love to keep both bulbs and blooms safe.

Plant strategically

After bulbs bloom, the leaves continue to provide nourishment for next year's growth. Try and plan your garden so that fading leaves can be hidden by other plants. Start by planting bulbs, especially the little ones, as close as possible (about 30 cm/12 in.) to shrubs and trees, so there will be something to cover up yellowing foliage.

Plant a tree or shrub

Fall is one of the best times of year to plant trees and shrubs. If you live in areas that are relatively warm it's a fantastic time to plant deciduous trees, springflowering trees and shrubs (dogwoods, viburnums, magnolias, redbud). They are less likely to suffer transplant shock. Evergreens do particularly well if you keep them deeply watered right up to hard frost. In colder zones, wait until Spring to plant evergreens.

Planting for fall colour

From chrysanthemums to gourds and pumpkins, your yard can look great even with the seasonal shift. You can plant chrysanthemums earlier in the season to give your garden a burst of colour. Try planting autumn crocus (Colchicum spp. and cultivars), which bloom within three or four weeks of planting. They disappear only to return next fall.

More garden and planting tips are available online at www.homedepot.ca.

- News Canada