Top 15 Low Maintenance Shrubs to Plant in the Fall (2024)

FAQs

What is the best low maintenance shrubs? ›

Some of the favorite low-maintenance shrubs include Boxwood, Dwarf Gardenia, Rosemary, and Rhododendron. You can add in a variety of sizes to add some extra curb appeal as well as flowering, evergreen, and deciduous shrubs for the front of your house.

The end of October is ideal. Beautiful winter flowering shrubs include Skimmia, Sarcococca, Pyracantha (berries) and Viburnum tinus. Low-maintenance winter flowering heathers such as Erica varieties are low-growing, compact plants. They'll add subtle colour to your garden or patio when planted up in pots.

Autumn shrub planting

Autumn is also the perfect time to plant many shrubs, particularly hardy, deciduous shrubs such as fothergilla, witch hazel and hydrangeas.

The best time to begin planting trees and shrubs is six weeks before the first sign of hard frost. Roughly September through November ideally to allow the roots to become established before the ground freezes and winter sets in.

Fall is the Best Time to Plant

The combination of warm soil and cool air stimulates root growth to help your tree or shrub get established before the ground freezes.

Oakleaf hydrangea: Hydrangea quercifolia

A deciduous shrub that is native to the Southeastern United States, the oakleaf hydrangea is one of the most easy-care, low maintenance shrubs available to gardeners. It has large, cone-shaped clusters of white flowers in early summer that eventually fade to pink.

- Avoid planting evergreens in mid-late fall. Because they keep their foliage all winter, they are more susceptible to drying out when the soil is frozen and the winds are blowing. Having several months (rather than several weeks) to develop a sizeable root system better prepares them to face these challenges.

It's safe to plant trees until the ground is frozen solid, generally after the first hard frost. Even if there is snow on the ground, if you're able to stick a spade into the soil, it's still okay to plant.

If the soil consistently measures 50° F or higher, it's safe to plant your deciduous tree or shrub. But, if the soil test proves the ground is too cold, plan to plant during the upcoming spring or fall seasons instead.

What plants grow in October and November? ›

Don't be sad, you can still grow a lot of different plants inside in November. This is a great time of the year to clone some of your outside plants or grow them from seed indoors. Grow indoor herbs on the windowsill!

You can transplant perennials anytime until the ground freezes in the fall, or wait to transplant them in the spring. Fall is an excellent time to transplant herbaceous perennials because your plants will then have three seasons to establish a good root system before hot summer weather sets in next year.

Planting Shrubs by Season

Winter: January through March is a perfect time to plant all bare root plants, such as roses and fruit trees. These plants are dormant during this time of year, so they'll be ready to rise and shine in spring.

In fact, fall is a great time for annuals, perennials and evergreen shrubs to shine. Some popular fall flowers include colorful mums, dahlias, purple pansies and yes, even bright yellow sunflowers!

Ideally, trees and shrubs need about 6-8 weeks to establish roots before a heavy freeze, but it's actually OK to plant them anytime the ground is workable, and many bare-root trees and shrubs are planted in very early spring while they're still dormant.

DON'T plant trees and shrubs in areas that could interfere with utility lines or air-conditioning units. Before you begin your planning, call 811 to determine the location of any underground utility lines on your property, so you can avoid those areas.

Ligustrum x ibolium. This deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub is America's fasting-growing hedge, growing up to 3′ per year. The shrub's dense, dark, glossy green foliage makes it an excellent choice for hedges and privacy screens.

What shrubs can survive a freeze? ›

Potentilla are likely the very easiest flowering shrub to grow, they literally thrive on neglect. Because they have been so widely planted they seem to be considered “too common”. There are many newer varieties available, but if you want the easiest to grow, stick with the highly reliable old fashioned originals.

Butterfly bush have one of the longest bloom times of all garden plants: they seem to never be without flowers from early summer through autumn. This makes them perhaps better called “continuous bloomers” over rebloomers, since they don't really take a break like other plants on this list do.

Fast-Growing Fall Vegetable Crops

Some of the fastest growing veggies: leafy greens, bunching onions, turnips, baby carrots, and more!

No matter which fall gardening project you choose, be sure to make plant roots super-happy by using Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix (for containers) or Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Vegetables & Herbs (for in-ground).

Here are just a few varieties that work especially well for the fall garden: Leafy greens including lettuce, kale, collards, arugula, spinach and Swiss chard. Other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Root vegetables such as parsnips, beets, turnips and radishes.

October also marks the beginning of bare-root planting season, so you can plant bare-root apples, pears and other fruit trees, along with fruiting shrubs such as blackcurrants and gooseberries.

Is it too late to plant shrubs in October? ›

There is a false perception in the gardening world that fall is the end of the growing season. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Fall is an ideal season for planting trees, shrubs and other assorted plants. The key is encouraging good root growth.

January is the middle of the dormant season when bare rooted deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted. These plants have been dug up straight from nursery beds and have no soil around the roots, therefore they can usually be brought much more cheaply than their container grown counterparts.

If you want to prune in fall, wait until trees drop their leaves and are dormant—usually October or November. After leaf drop, you can see the tree's structure and identify disease and insect problems more easily.

November is also a great time to plant bare-root fruit trees, which are dormant when planted but then have the full season to grow as soon as temperatures increase in spring. Trees such as apple, pear, cherry and plum can be planted now, along with blackcurrant, raspberry and gooseberry.

Vegetables such as carrots, kale, and onions mature quickly (even from seed) and yield a healthy harvest before the first frost. There are also a few flower varieties that can last through the cold weather to add color and texture to your flower beds. November is still prime time to be sowing bulbs of foxglove as well.

Plant heather, grass plants, pansy plants, violas, primulas, and trailing ivy in decorative pots for winter colour. It's not too late to plant out garden-ready winter flowering annuals, such as Pansy 'Matrix ™ Mixed'. Now's the perfect time to plant hedging!

Plant in the ground: lettuce, carrots, beets, parsnips, potatoes, celeriac, radishes, spinach. Plant in the ground: lettuce (and other salad greens), carrots, beets parsnips, radishes, spinach, purple beans.

What flowers can you plant in November? ›

Some of the best flowers to plant in November include hyacinths, crocuses, established mum plants, and bare-root roses. If you live in a more temperate region, you might have enough time to grow foxgloves and lupine, but sticking to bulbed flowers that bloom in warmer temperatures is a better bet.

November is also a great time to plant bare-root fruit trees, which are dormant when planted but then have the full season to grow as soon as temperatures increase in spring. Trees such as apple, pear, cherry and plum can be planted now, along with blackcurrant, raspberry and gooseberry.

"Planting trees and shrubs in November allows the plant to weather cooler temperatures while it is going through dormancy and allows some time for root growth before the ground freezes," Weber says.

Fall is a great time to plant and divide perennials and shrubs. This is because, as in Spring, temperatures are cooler and there is usually plenty of rain.

Look for phlox paniculata, also called garden phlox or border phlox, and plant in late summer and fall. This upright perennial grows in clumps that reach 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Phlox paniculata is hardy in zones 4 to 8. The colorful panicles of flowers bloom July to September.