Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-21
By W. n. YOUNGMAN

This is hardly the season foI
the new gardener to get into
the mood for digging and plant
ling, but fall is the time for NOV
ting or setting out many of our
perennials, shrubs. roses and
trees. Planting might well be-
gin in late August. certainly by
early September. Many Of the
deciduous shrubs, roses and
trees may be planted as late as
The ground is workable.
There are several reasons for
this planting season being more
or less Of q must.
4 First, the nursery stocks are
ct their peak and by spring
many items are likely to be sold
out. Early ordering is recon-
mended, whether sit be- from a
local nursery O. one at some dis
aance.
Secondly. the newly set out
plants will have ample time to
become established before cold
weather. Also. they viii be ready
TO start into new growth earlier
In the spring than those which
will be set out in the spring.
m many cases the plants put
into the garden this fall will
make new feeder root growth
even though the tops may show
no signs of activity.
Don't Skim Preparing Hole
Thirdly, the work Of soil pre-
paration and planting can be
done in an unhurried fashion.
whereas spring planting is a
rush job. Oftentimes it is i'm
possible to do as thorough a job
in the spring as the gardener
wishes. Good preparation pays
whether planting perennials,
shrubs or trees. The old saying
still holds true, 1T is better to.
put q 10-cent plant in a $40 hole
than a $40 plant in q Decent
hole"
And. lastly. there are some
kinds Of trees and plants that,
by nature. should 60 into the
ground this fall. Whether it Isl
D job Of moving. division, or set
ting out new ones in this group,
now is the time to do it.
In this category there are such
perennials as peonies. iris, orien-
tai poppies and Buckingham.
If spring planting must be done
then it Is advisable to buy ported
plants. OF the shrubs, the lilacsI
are benefited by fall planting
but all Of the early spring
boomers might better be planted
In the fall than in the spring.
OF course we can plant
nearly all Of the perenn1als in the
fall, IN fact. it is good practice to
set them into their permanent
locations around the middle OF
September so that they viii be
well established before cold
weather.
The same might be said about
the evergreen shrubs and trees
except there are q few that are
either too slow in sending out
new feeding roots to Withstand
winter winds, or whose root sys-
TENS do not seem to recover asI
wei In the fall as in the spring.
In this group are: the hemlock,
drethorn, hollies, magnolia,
naples (sugar and red), tulip
popular. birch, Sweetgum, elm,
rhodod endrons. spicehush, but
terf1ybush, sweetsfmub. hawthorn,
althea, mountain laurel, etc.
This seems to hold true whether
they come balled and burlapped
or barerooted. This is not to say
that it can't be done, but rather
that the chances of loss are much
greater in the fall.
Compost and Leaf Mold
In fall planting, it is well to
take ample time to prepare al
generous-sized planting hole.
Mix compost, leafmold or peat
moss with the soil taken from
the hole. Use this mixture toI
cover the roots and fill the hole.
Avoid the use Of commercial
fertilizer in the planting hole,
save it for surface application
next spring.
In placing the shrub allow for
settling the bigger and deeper
the hole the more the soil will
settle. This is especially i'm
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