What Trees To Plant In Fall

Planting in the fall is debatably the best time to plant anything, let alone just planting trees. As a general rule, you want to plant as far away from summer as possible but there are always exceptions.



Deciding what trees to plant in the fall is going to come down to personal preference, hardiness zone, and of course, the trees themselves.

You maybe typed into Google, 'what are the best trees to plant in the fall?' Well, we are here to tell you something you already know, it depends.

Where do you live? Do you want oak trees in Maine? How about evergreen trees in Michigan?

We are primarily focused on the United States so, assuming you live in the United States, you need to load up the Hardiness Zone Map and figure out what zone you live in.

What Trees Can You Plant In The Fall? 

Fruit Trees? Flowering Trees? Depends.

Let me walk you through it.

You came here looking for a list of the best trees to plant in the fall but maybe you had in mind the Eastern Redbud. A beautiful and versatile tree.

So then, you type into google, 'Eastern Redbud Tree hardiness zone.' What do you get?

Probably the Arbor Day page telling you that the best place for Eastern Redbuds to grow is in Zones 4 to 9. There's a problem.

You live in Hawaii! Hawaii sits in Zones 11 - 13.

So maybe it wouldn't be ideal to plant a Zone 4 to 9 tree in zones 11 to 13. Understand?

Of course, living in the extremes will mean less options for planting and gardening but we wrote that to prove a point.

If you live in the center of the chart (roughly 4 to 9), you will have more options.

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy gardening, it simply means you have to be more selective with your choices. It means you can't really and shouldn't follow a blanket list.

Even if the tree fits into the proper zone, there are other considerations as well - like the time it takes for the tree to establish its root system. Some trees are meant for spring planting. 

So you've narrowed it down. You live in Zone 4. Shivers down the spine, you there, are in a cold place.

Now you can ask yourself, 'What are the best trees to plant in Hardiness Zone 4? Okay. You got some options (not an exhaustive list):

Ornamental Trees:

• Weeping Cherry
• Eastern Redbud
• Serviceberry

Shade Trees:

• Sugar Maple
• Red Maple
• White Oak

Evergreens:

• Colorado Blue Spruce
• Norway Spruce
• Scots

When To Plant Trees In The Fall

Of course, another generalized, blanket statement - it depends, but, for most people, the best time to plant trees in the 'Fall' is actually late August through mid October.

Another rule of thumb, whatever six weeks is before the first frost. You don't want to risk planting too late so that the tree suffers any frost damage. Damage to the tree could ensure the tree never fully grows to its potential.

Planting too late is certainly something to avoid but if you feel you did plant too late, just keep a watchful eye on the growth of the tree. Keep the pests in check, fertilize and water it to give it the jumpstart in Spring.

You also want to make sure you start planting well before the ground freezes. You'll be able to tell because when the ground freezes, you aren't going to be easily able to dig a hole.



Roughly speaking, if the soil temperature is about 50F, you should be okay. Use a soil thermometer to check. 

Check out the table below to figure out your first frost. Keep in mind, this is more general than the actual USDA Hardiness Map which breaks down the zones further into sections like 7a, 7b, etc. If you are unsure, it's best to consult the map.

The USDA Hardiness Zone Map With First Frost Dates

Why Newly Planted Trees In The Fall Have A Good Chance of Survival

Trees planted in the fall stand a better chance of survival because they don't suffer the onslaught of sun and extreme heat that is the Summer.



Also, the trees become dormant in the Fall. Since none of their energy is going towards foliage, all of the energy is going towards the root system and root establishment. For this reason, and for many trees, the root generation potential is simply ideal in the early fall.

In the Fall, there are less water requirements. This comes in part because the Fall is typically wetter than the Summer. The soil is going to be much less dry then when the heat is pounding down on it.

Overall, the fall has more inclement weather and such. The Summer brings the heat and means dryer soil and sun burns the tree leaves. 

Start Digging

We've covered how to plant a new tree before on Sweet New Earth so we won't get too much into it. Just be careful with how you dig the hole for the root ball and get that tree successfully planted. Get out the tools you need and get started.

Autumn is a great time for trees. Fall colors are something everyone looks forward too, and fall temperatures are what gardeners look forward too. By mid August, you should have your plan set in place for early fall tree planting.