When Is The Best Time Of Year To Plant Trees?
So when is the best time to plant a tree? We have all heard lots of conflicting information on this topic many times. While it really does come down to where you are located and the weather trends you tend to have, which really makes it to where there is no simple right or wrong answer. However, I will try to give you the straight forward answer to the best time to plant a tree.
If you think about all four seasons, and consider that a newly planted tree needs a lot of water given to it by you to survive, right away we can typically cross summer of the list because with summer typically comes hot, dry conditions which is hard on newly planted trees due to the heat and the tree usually having issues with getting enough water in the heat.
With that being said, CAN you plant a tree in the summer? Sure you can! But the survivability rate is going to be MUCH lower unless you give that tree some special love such as adding mulch around the bottom, & giving it nice long drinks if water often when there is no heavy rains.
Many think spring is the best time to plant a tree. Why? Because he said so! Because the stores all start selling trees! Because that’s what I heard! And? That doesn’t mean it’s right. Spring is a fine time to plant, but it’s only second best, FALL is the best time of year to plant a tree! The weather is much more mild typically, there is usually more rain fall to help give your tree much needed water, & sun is usually not as intense just putting loads of sun burn and heat on your tree (which stresses your tree more).
When you plant in the fall, you get nature working for you, instead of against you like you do in the summer! The tree will have a couple of months to start working in nice and slowly into its new home in the ground in the fall, and then it will go dormant in the winter and save its energy! Then Come spring since your tree already had a great head start in the fall, will be ready to put out lots of new growth as well as lots more new roots. The more roots the tree can put out, the better chance it has in surviving once summer arrives! So, the answer is most typically fall as the best time to plant a new tree!
You can plant trees in the winter, sometimes with luck, sometimes without luck. In winter when it’s really cold and the ground is frozen it makes it harder to dig up soil and break it up. It also makes water around the roots freeze which prevents the newly planted tree from being able to take in that much needed water that is hasn’t had a chance to store energy back yet!
I have successfully planted trees and plants in every season here in zone 6 in missouri in all kinds of weather, it can be done anytime. If you plant in the fall it is usually much more simple, but you can other times of the year if you are going to be able to have the time to help your new tree along.