What you can plant now

For many people fall means gardening season is over but in the mild Northwest this is primetime for planting and transplanting. Shrubs, trees, herbaceous perennials are all fine to plant now and into the fall. In fact, plants installed now do better because they have all fall to get established and grow roots. As a general rule, plants need more water when newly planted or transplanted, and the fall rain and cool temperatures help in that department too. Since I now have a large gaping hole in my hedge (see the previous entry), I am planning to order an apple tree custom grafted with multiple varieties and plant it this season.

Some things have to be planted now, namely bulbs. They need a cooling period to bloom in the spring. This year consider trying something besides tulips and daffodils. I’m interested in adding ornamental onion bulbs which produce fantastic huge purple globes reminiscent of a lollipop.