Fall is the time to plant shrubs and trees.

Actually, it’s better than spring.

The soil’s still warm, the air is cool, and your plants can spend the next few months quietly getting their roots settled while you’re inside congratulating yourself with a cup of tea.

Even better?

Local nurseries will usually have pretty good sales right about now, which is how we justified buying over twenty .. yes, twenty .. new plants last week.

This, mind you, was right after I finished replanting all the peonies. Timing has never been our strong suit.

First, the confession:
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If you were hoping to buy winterberries from Cape Shore Gardens this year… sorry.

That would be us.

We bought them out.

We planted a 50-foot row of winterberries last year, and this year we added another row.

Why?

Because if you plan to use the berries for winter craft projects (like our winter wreath workshops), you basically harvest them to the ground and can’t use them again until year two.

So, we alternate .. one row for cutting, one for growing.

It’s like crop rotation, but prettier.

We also replaced a few apple trees that didn’t quite make it, totally our fault.

(Pro tip: you actually have to water newly planted trees. Who knew?)

Cape Shore had these fascinating apple trees with four varieties grafted onto one trunk.

One’s a standard tree and the other is an espalier .. flat-grown against a trellis, very fancy.

We’ll plant that one near the grapes where it can join the “vining wall of fame.” And yes, we solemnly swear to water this time.

We couldn’t resist adding Beauty Berries to the cart, too.

The purple berries are spectacular right now, and since I “accidentally” weed-whacked one of our originals, we replaced it and bought another new variety for good measure.

There’s just something about plant shopping that gives us a high… until we remember it’s only us who have to dig all those holes.

Here’s the scoop on local nursery sales (perfect excuse to start your own fall planting spree):

  • Cape Shore Gardens (my favorite and tell JR we sent you) – 25% off deciduous trees and shrubs
  • Church’s Garden Center – no sale yet (but they have a huge inventory of winterberries, among other things), and if you’re not in a rush, they should have one soon, if last year was any indicator.
  • Lowe’s – 50% off everything – we bought several blueberry bushes and some other greenery
  • Home Depot – sale of a few things, nothing to speak about.

I haven’t included Secluded Acres Nursery … for some reason, they don’t carry the kinds of inventory I’m looking for.

So if you’ve been thinking about adding to your landscape – or your perennial cutting garden – now’s your moment.

Fall really is the best season for new beginnings (and a few blisters).

P.S. If you’re new here and want to catch up on my previous musings, you can find all the past newsletters posted on our blog page.

P.P.S. Pass this along to a friend who might want to join our flower family, or who just needs an excuse to go plant shopping. They can join the fun and subscribe at SeashoreFlowerFarm.com.

P.P.P.S. I read every reply (and I love them), so hit reply and tell me what you’re planting this fall!