Hubby and I spent most of the morning Sunday moving a peach tree. This particular tree is a super-dwarf, self-pollinating peach tree. I bought it seven or eight years ago and planted it in a sunny spot in my garden, because of the fact that the tallest it could possibly get was 5 feet and I thought the garden was a good place for it.
That was the first year I did serious gardening out there. Before that, I was working full-time as a reporter at this newspaper, and just did not have time for any serious gardening. Anyway, after seven or eight seasons of watering that garden, the roots of the pine trees along the north side kind of reached out with their roots to catch that water, and of course the branches grew with them, and we ended up with one whole section of the garden shaded for at least part of the day, including the place where that little peach tree was planted.
The first two sunny years we got about two dozen peaches off that tree, even though it is very small, about 30 inches tall and 4 feet in diameter. But the year it was hot and dry, the peaches withered and fell off before maturing. Last year, with all the rain we got, they rotted and fell off. This winter, that last ice storm came just when the tree was blooming, and we only got two peaches that stayed on long enough to ripen. And one whole half of the tree, the part that is always in the shade, has no foliage whatsoever.
So we moved the tree, about 5 feet in from the bean fields, on the southeast corner of the garden, where there is nothing to shade it. Hopefully we will have peaches again next year.
If you are thinking about adding trees or shrubs to your landscaping, now is actually the time to do it. Most fruit and nut trees have just stopped producing, and are in a short dormant stage before they start setting buds for next spring. Flowering trees and shrubs will be setting bloom buds soon as well, and if you get your plants in the ground now, there will be plenty of time for the roots to establish and the plant to set for next spring.
This is also the perfect time for planting perennials, for the same reason. Many perennial flowers don't bloom while they are in the process of establishing a root ball, so if you get them in the ground now, that part of their growth will be done before winter and they should bloom profusely next growing season. This includes mums, which will be blooming when you purchase them but will not set additional buds until next year, after the root system has formed.
While you are thinking about planting perennials, why not consider planting a few wildflowers. The seeds for these very hardy plants can be purchased or ordered from just about any garden supply store or Internet site. I have a number of them in my garden, including Black-eyed Susans, which are reliable as clockwork, need almost no care at all and are always spectacular. Next year I plan to add Chicory and Sweet William to the mix. With these flowers also, the time to plant is now, to give them a chance to set roots before winter moves in.
The only fall-planted flowers you should not plant now are spring bulb flowers such as lilies, daffodils, tulips, iris, etc. These bulb plants don't set blossoms the same way woody perennials do, and need to be planted after the first killing frost of the fall and before the first spring thaw. Plant them any earlier, and you risk early growth, which could prevent the plant from blooming next spring.
Again, a little planning goes a long way. Make a garden plan, do your homework, and get your plants in at the right time, and you will have flowers to enjoy for years to come.
plen@rittermail.com