PETITTI | Fall Planting - How & When to Plant Perennials, Trees, Shrubs, and Mums

[@MichaelRusso-k9j]

Noelle, thanking you for the reminder of how & when to plant perennials in the fall. There are so many different colored mums out at the garden center and saw some beautiful hibiscus today and expect to see many others soon. .

[@juliekraft4102]

Always good info for success.🥰

[@amyjones2490]

We also don’t have to deal so much with farmers spraying crops with herbicides as much in our area here in lower Michigan.

[@lilyw.1788]

My beds are heavily clayed- to the point where I can dig out a clay bowl in the soil. Is it better to dig up as much clay out or do I widen the hole instead of digging down? If I dig down, I am creating some sort of "clay bowl" since I cannot take out all of the clay in the bed. I am not sure how to plant my perennials and shrubs because I don't want to drown them in this clay soil. Please help!

[@PetittiGardenCenters]

Clay soil is great for water and nutrient retention, so we don't want to replace it, just improve it with some organic matter and Espoma Soil Perfector. As you are planting, you only dig the same depth as the root ball and 2x as wide the pot. Set that clay soil to the side and mix 1/3rd to 1/2 of organic amendments (compost, peat, manure, planting mix, etc.) and backfill with that mixture. Adding a couple of inches of compost to your garden soil each fall and cultivating it in and around plants can help with drainage too. Look at our "6 Steps for Success" planting guide here: www.petittigardencenter.com/six-steps-for-success-a-guide-to-proper-planting/