I'm hoping to do some landscaping this fall, and it involves cutting down two horrendously ugly trees and putting in their place two pink dogwoods. Is this a good time of year for that, or should I just prepare the area and wait for spring to plant the trees? I wanted to plant some fall bulbs around the trees, so I was hoping to do them at the same time so I wasn't digging through my bulbs next spring to plant the trees.

any thoughts?

CLIFF NOTES: plant trees in fall or wait for spring?


Message was edited by: Dave M

If you could get layers of leaves, grass, manure, bone meal, etc., on that soil by the end of June, you'd have great soil by September. And everything would be in for 2 months before it got really cold. Dogwoods are tough, so unless you really ignored them or winter was wildly cold and you didn't protect them, they should be fine. Imagine those pretty pink buds coming out next spring!

I like to plant trees and shrubs in the fall for a few reasons. You don't need to water as much, just a few times thoroughly and deeply before the ground freezes, and then the plant goes dormant. I also like to hit the sales at the garden centers in the fall - they are always trying to unload extra inventory and things are marked WAY down. Personally, I have had much success with everything I planted in the fall and always will try and continue that practice in the future.

Beebop's the tree expert here, but the above advice is sound regarding fall planting. Of course, not to seem a smartash, but I find the best time to plant anything is when the ground isn't frozen and I have some time. B-)

Just one thing: don't buy in spring or summer, in hopes of getting it planted in fall. Trees hate that, because if you forget to water it even once, well... :_|

Since you're in Zone 6, it's best to wait for Spring with dogwoods. Memorial Day through mid-June is the window, so you're good to go right now. They tend to be vulnerable to damage from frosts and frost heaves after fall plantings. People can and do plant them in fall, and they certainly don't always fail, but some suffer from it and some will fail. If you're looking for solid success with them and not nail-biting Spring is best.

They like ordinary conditions - they don't need lots of amendments alkaline or acidic, they're happy in just plain dirt. Leave a nice light mulch of leaf humus and/or grass clippings around the bases after planting but nothing next to the bark - 4" or so of space between bark and mulch is good. Make absolutely sure nothing is binding those roots - some trees come with wire, twines, all kinds of binders on and in the root systems - get your fingers in there and find out and get rid of it - most trees and especially dogwoods can't tolerate that junk being left on them at planting.

Happy planting!

While beebop is 100% right about spring I just thought I would throw in what the instructor of a landscape class I took said to me one day. She said, that anytime you could work the soil and rescue a tree from the container prison it was being held captive in was a good time to plant. Depending on the time of year you will still need to tend the new tree but not as much as if you had left it in that container.

Generally and current thought is fall planting is more better because your tree, shrub, perennial will be able to get its roots established before it has to deal with top growth. All plants keep on growing roots until really late in the winter.

What are the light requirements for a Dogwood? The spot I was planning on putting them would receive full, direct sun all day, everyday. Can dogwoods take this?

Dave,

dogwoods are fine in sunshine ranging from full to dappled. They're not an understory plant nor do they do well in shade.

KimmSr, your day is simply not made without some sort of refutation on these boards, is it?

Everyone; normally fall planting is preferable for many, not all trees. The question is about DOGWOODS IN ZONE 6. X-( X-( X-(
In Zones 6 and colder THERE ARE PLANTS AND TREES WHICH CAN SUFFER FROM DAMAGING FROST HEAVES if planted in the fall. Why? Because they don't have THE TIME to establish enough root growth to withstand serious frosts.
If one READS MY POST, I said that one can plant them in the fall but for optimum resuts spring is better.

Cheezus Mary and Joseph. I've only been doing this freaking stuff for 45 years.

X-( X-( X-( X-(

a nice site to go to to help you on tree planting is from the university of florida at http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody. they give info on mulching, how to plant trees, best time, etc. so you may or not want to try it, but it might not hurt to see what they offer.

I'm sorry I tried to answer the man's question at all. Won't happen again.

:|

I appeciate everyone's replies, it looks like I'll probably prepare the bed this fall, plant my bulbs and mark them well so I know where not to dig come spring, when I'll plant the trees. This fall is going to be busy at work fr me anyway, so I probably wouldn't have the time to devote to it the way I should.

Beebop, I'm sorry you get upset when someone offers information that appears to contradict what you say, but that's life. There are people that offer information contradictory to mine all the time, I simply try to give good, accurate information instead of myths or outdated information.