in my MI ... july and august has the potential to be above 90 degrees for days on end .. and night in the 70s ...

so when i suggest fall planting .. i am avoiding summer heat ....

plus.. 2 cool seasons before the next time it happens ...

and i understand.. that it is very zone specific ... warmer zones even plant into winter .. etc ...

but the bottom line will ... im trying to help newbs or peeps low on the experience curve.. who may not be as able to follow up properly ... im trying to cut the odds of loss ...

peeps with much more experience.. like yourself .... can do many more things.. and succeed ..

ken

Won't those with less experience be oblivious to root pruning that clearance tree pot?

Why fall plant container stock?

Its "one" of the very reasons you don't fall dig many species.

Good point on the zones this would be more for those in zone 6 or less.

Where did you hear that fall is the only good time for planting?

In your location, Spring would be an ideal time, too. Even summer. With proper care, container grown stock can be planted successfully almost any time.

I had an eleven acre container wholesale nursery in S. Carolina; we were busy all year round. As a landscape designer, I can promise you that planting projects do not stop according to the seasons. The exception, of course, is in areas where severely cold temperatures can cause problems.

By the way, roots shouldn't be "torn". Cut them rather than shred the roots.....they will regenerate amazingly rapidly if cut cleanly. Remember, pruning above AND below ground is a regenerative activity. If you do have to rip roots, simply cut them properly afterwards.

I love planting container trees/shrubs in fall and have had tons of success with it. The main benefit to me is the plant is better established by the time it hits its first summer, so it needs less supplemental watering than spring plants going into their first summer. Also nice to see the flushes of new growth that first spring. Often with spring planting, it takes a full year to see any new growth. One minor benefit is that you can often see the fall color of the plant when you buy in the fall.

I think people are inclined to want a deal and 1/2 price is appealing. Those that don't know to untangle potbound stock will still have some success in fall, the tree survives the planting in mild weather and will appear fine. The root issues may take time to show themselves and by then people won't necessarily make the connection that they did anything wrong at planting. They got a great deal, a live tree went in and they're happy.

Fall is glorious here, my favorite time of year. In spring it's cold and we're often dodging snow storms. Fall planting is easier on me, reliably mild so I'm more inclined to take the time and effort to plant properly. The tree gets a few months of root growth in before winter and as Ken said, gets a couple of seasons to grow before the heat kicks in.

Barb

I'll just say that cutting more 1/3 of the root mass to correct root bound plants could cause death/injury thru winter among colder climates if you plant too late in the fall. The earlier the better for cold zones.

I like to plant the middle of June thru the middle of July because that's when root formation takes place for the second time after spring. If you're a gardener and watering is on your mind daily, it's a great time to be planting... even in hot climates.

Early Fall for zones 4-5 is going to be better than late. If a plant with horrendous roots is noticed, I would rather sink the container in the ground and mulch over it and then correct the root issues the following spring when planting it to it's final location. It may not be necessary but I'd sleep a bit better, here.

Definitely an advantage of Fall or very early spring is that you're planting dormant plants which know when it's time to wake up the following spring. You get all these plants at nurseries brought in from warmer climates and the first 'unusual' week of warm weather early on takes them out of dormancy and then you deal with many frosts at times to come. So Fall planting has it's advantage/edge with this situation.

For me, I plant in spring. It rains a lot here and the other season I like June-July I supplement any necessary water.

Just some things to think about just as everyone else has valid points as-well.

Dax

I certainly agree 100% with Embothrium. My exact first thoughts, really.

Dax

Yes depends on where you are. I do 90% of my planting in November. But it doesn't freeze here...

"Why is fall a good time to plant? I get the root generation, moisture and cooler temps but..."

you listed the reasons you plant in fall. is that your question? you're assuming root growth from summer planting is going to be better?

the initial research which lead to the campaigns to promote fall planting tell us this...plant on the first day in the spring you can, or plant in the fall...you will get more root growth with fall planting...with six weeks of soil temps above 40^ F. same holds true for any other time of year comparison. Add to that, the reduced heat stress, lower evaporation rates.

your question is not about this. it's actually one of two other questions.

which species are not well suited to fall transplanting? fleshy rooted, such as magnolia, don't respond well to fall transplanting. I've never moved red oak in the fall, and there's something in the back of my mind pinging on this. there's not a definitive list for this...you're going to have to spend a lot of time talking shop with local tradesfolk to get good answers.

the other question is about container grown plants in general.

My opinion diverges significantly from most folks on this forum. No need to re-hash old opinions that aren't going to change. I'd say the answer to this part of your question is the same as the first part...find out what to avoid planting in the fall and follow that list. if the reason not to plant (x) is fall disturbance of the root system, then that's the reason. not how it was grown. the first (fall disturbance) is the reason. the second is just how you got it.

If you can get ahold of the specs from the MN DOT for fall planting of nursery stock for their projects, you may find some interesting reading, especially as re: the deadline dates for planting certain types of plants (the specific category I recall is the fall deadline for planting conifers).

The problem is that most guidelines put out by college extensions were developed based on large B&B plantings. Smaller container plants are much more forgiving in my experience and the B&B rules do not apply. I have planted container oaks, bald cypress, tulip tree, and sweetbay magnolia in the fall (September) and all have thrived.

All, thanks for the feedback!

For context I was making a point for those in zone 6 or lower (almost the exact opposite for warmer climates) should be careful with significant root pruning in the fall on many species.

Best bet is too simply sink the plant (if you find a container deal) and re-plant in late spring/early summer. It all about whether a plant can regen in the fall or not. Of course if you have well drained soil and a mild winter you can certainly have success either way.

Again zone 6 or lower...

Here are the species susceptible to winter damage or winter root rot after fall root disturbance

Acer griseum

Acer pseudo-sieboldiana

Acer rubrum

Acer triflorum

Aesculus

Alnus

Betula

Carpinus caroliniana

Carya

Cercidiphyllum japonicum

Celtis occidentalis

Catalpa speciosa

Cercis canadensis

Cladastris kentukea

Corylus colurna

Crataegus

Fagus

Liquidambar styraciflua

Liriodendron tulipifera

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Ostrya virginiana

Oxydendrum arboreum

Platanus x acerfolia

Populus tremuloides

Prunus

Quercus

Taxodium distichum

Ulmus americana

Here are the species not susceptible to winter damage or winter root rot after fall root disturbance

Acer grandidentatum

Acer x freemanii

Acer miyabei

Acer truncatum hybrids

Acer platanoides

Amelanchier

Chionanthus virginicus

Cornus mas (middle of the road)

Gymnocladus dioica

Ginkgo

Gleditsia

Maackia amurensis

Phellodendron (middle of the road)

Malus

Pyrus

Syringa (Perkin and Japanese)

Tilia

Ulmus hyrids (middle of the road)

Dax has some good info regarding June planting. I learned quickly that this is a great time to get quick root regeneration from container stock in my zone.

April, May, and June are the best times to plant. Other than that, dormant plants (bare-root or dormant container stock) are best planted in January/February.

Add acer griseum and carpinus caroliniana to the list of container trees I successfully planted in autumn. Did not know they were on any spring-only lists. For any readers looking to give discounted fall container trees a shot, don't be discouraged by the guidelines developed for larger, B&B trees and commercial planting. They should not be applied as gospel to #5 and smaller container stock, at least in zone 5b.

You can successfully plant any of those container grown trees in the fall no doubt.

I'll tell you one thing if I find a pot bound Paperbark maple I'm not taking a chance at doing any severe root pruning in fall. You never know what mother nature is going to serve up for the ensuing winter!