CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Fall isn’t just for mums and pumpkins; it is actually one of the best times to plant those blooms you see in early spring!
You can plant your deciduous trees, shrubs, fall bulbs, fall veggies, and ornamental cabbage or kale.
“Fall is a great time to plant. You have the warm soil temperatures that allow for the roots to get established into the ground and then you have the rains that work with having to water," said Brandon Kuykendall, Ashcombe Farm and Nursery manager.
Cooler nights and warmer days are also a major benefit, especially when it comes to fall bulbs.
“Examples would be your tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus. You plant them now and those are going to give you a delayed gratification in the spring and those are the ones that are going to bloom early spring,” said Kuykendall.
Autumn also is the perfect time to plant fall bulbs because of the soil and temperature conditions.
“Bulbs need a cold period, so you plant them now while the ground is still workable, and you can still plant, and the ground isn’t frozen. Then bulbs need about 6 to 10 weeks of a cold stratification period to bloom for next spring,” said Kuykendall.
And no matter which bulb is planted, once it goes in the ground make sure to give them a good soaking and to plant them at the proper depth.
“That’s a good rule of thumb, anywhere from 5 to 8 inches is how deep you want to plant your bulbs,” said Kuykendall.
This depth will also help to deter squirrels from snatching them up, but it is also okay to add in a repellent when planting as well.
Another tip is to plant your fall bulbs in a smaller pot and to place them in the refrigerator or for larger planters to place them in a cold garage to defend against animals ahead of dormancy.