What is the best month to plant a tree?

Autumn is the best time of the year to plant trees. The best months being late August, September and October. The reason why fall is a good time to plant trees is that the new tree can put its energy into developing roots and not the foliage. It is important that you plant your tree with enough time to establish itself before winter when the ground is frozen.

Planting a tree with an unwounded root system means that you can plant any time of year, however if you’re planting a tree in full leaf during the summer they’ll need frequent watering. Some plants lose all their leaves when replanted, so it’s best to plant deciduous trees when they’re becoming dormant. That’s because the roots keep growing even when there is no canopy of leaves.

Trees, like animals, hibernate. Before they do so, they need to obtain as much nutrients as possible to survive the winter. That’s why the end of the growing season is the best time to plant trees and shrubs, once in the ground there’s a final root spurt in a bid to gain nutrients before hibernation. Even during winter while the tree is dormant, roots may grow, albeit at a slower pace and only if the ground temperature is above 5 degrees Celsius.

A deciduous tree, that is a tree which sheds its leaves during Winter can be planted successfully throughout winter up until it comes out of dormancy in March/April.

Evergreen trees on the other hand can decline when planted in deep winter. We suggest you plant evergreen trees between September and October or between March and May.

Contrary to our comments above sometimes Autumn is not the best time to plant deciduous or evergreen trees. Coastal areas or places that are heavily exposed can cause the tree to decline due to bad weather conditions. So consider planting in spring, just before the new season leaves begin to emerge.