To enjoy the colors and aroma of flowers earlier in the spring, it is worth planting early flowering shrubs in the fall. Fall is the most favorable time for planting plants.
Why is it better to plant in the fall
Shrubs planted in the fall take root easily, since there is more precipitation and the plants develop a powerful root system without problems. Trees and shrubs after autumn planting look better than those planted in the spring.
Which early flowering shrubs can be planted in autumn
The very first to bloom in March are:
- Cercis canadensis and Cercis occidentalis. These shrubs tolerate winter well. But in the first winter after planting, the root system must be covered with a thick layer of bark or compost.
- D. odora. This is the earliest flowering shrub. The flowers are pink, fragrant, with the scent of hyacinth. Winter hardiness is excellent.
- Cornus mas. Not only does it bloom very early with yellow flowers, but its fruits in autumn are very decorative and tasty.
- Forsythia rapa. Its flowers are much larger and brighter than those of dogwood. The most interesting species and varieties of forsythia include: intermediate forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia), abundantly flowering "Spectabilis" and "Goldzauber" and slow-growing (some of the most frost-resistant) "Maluch" and "Fjolor".
Shrubs blooming in April
For flowering in April, it is worth planting in the fall: fragrant viburnum, willow, three-lobed almond, early spirea and Thunberg, intermediate quince, lilac.
In early April, willow (Salix caprea) blooms with beautiful large fluffy “seals”.
Viburnum viburnum (Viburnum farreri) blooms in April with white and pink trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers. Flowers are collected in round inflorescences. Because of its pleasant aroma, viburnum is recommended for planting near terraces or windows of the house.
Triloba almond (Prunus triloba) blooms with beautiful pink flowers in mid-April. For better wintering, when planting, it is worth making good drainage in the hole, since almonds do not tolerate dampness.
At the same time, early spirea (Spiraea x arguta) and Thunbergii (Spiraea Thunbergii) with beautifully hanging umbrellas, as well as intermediate quince (Chaenomeles x superba), bloom in white.
Particularly noteworthy are the red varieties Nicoline, Fire Dance and Crimson and Gold, orange Clementine and Orange Tail, as well as dark pink Pink Lady and pale pink Cameo.
We must not forget about lilac (Syringa spi, which blooms at the turn of April and May). It is valued by gardeners mainly for its beautiful flowers with an intoxicating aroma. The most popular varieties of common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) are: purple Ludwik Spaeth, purple Katherine Havenmeyer, pink Massena and Congo, lilac Michel Buchner, white Mme Lemoine.
An interesting species in terms of plant shape is the low, dense creeping Meyer lilac (Syringa meyeri) Palibin, but it blooms a little later, in May.
Autumn planting of the listed shrubs is best done from mid-September to mid-October, and in the northern regions - until early October.
The more heat-loving ones should be covered with earth in the first year after planting, and the trunk should be insulated with agrofibre.
The seedling will take root successfully if it is in a state of biological dormancy.
