It's Time Already: Which Autumn Plants to Plant Now

Mini-guide for everyone planning to go to the dacha in autumn. Experts from Derevo Park explain what else you can plant and how to prepare your garden for the cold.

Conduct an Inventory

Create a list of what you like about your garden and what you would like to change. Which plants have grown too large? Do your flower beds look good or do they need modification and enhancement? Think about projects for next year: building a patio or organizing a pond.

Transplant Perennials

Carefully inspect your garden. Perhaps your rhododendrons don’t thrive well in full sun, and the iris would look better at another end of the garden?

Now that it’s getting cooler, you can divide and relocate perennials. Late summer and early autumn mark the second root growth of the year: plants store nutrients and can tolerate transplanting with minimal stress. Cover roots with a layer of mulch for extra protection in the upcoming winter.

Do Autumn Purchases

We are used to visiting garden centers in spring, but many late-season plants look unattractive early in the season, so some nurseries don’t even put them on sale. But in late summer and early autumn, they are displayed beautifully and can be bought at a discount.

Don’t Forget About Bulbs

Narcissus, hyacinths, tulips, or the now-popular exotic bulbs will decorate your garden in early spring if planted in autumn. By the way, it’s better to buy bulbs at the end of summer.

Rare varieties are quickly sold out, and if you want your plantings to perfectly match your original plan, it’s better to act fast. Many rare varieties can now be ordered online, which also takes some time. It’s better to prepare in advance.

Tip: To avoid a bare garden, combine flower beds with spring- and autumn-flowering plants. For example, narcissus and muscaris can be combined with brunneras and baptlias.

Before winter arrives, you’ll enjoy the combination of Hosta versicolor and Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass. Hosta flowers in late June, when the grass only shows a bunch of green leaves, but by August the picture changes: golden hues of the faded Hosta beautifully contrast with the sharp feathery plumes of the grass.

Work on the Vegetable Garden

You still have time to plant the vegetable garden and harvest a crop: leafy greens, aromatic herbs, and peas. They fit perfectly into a decorative garden instead of plants that have finished their season.

Below is a list of several plants that germinate quickly, and if planted now, you can harvest a decent yield:

• spicy greens (arugula, mustard);

• leaf lettuce;

• peas (look for dwarf and mildew-resistant varieties);

• spinach;

• onion.

There is another category of garden crops that need time to establish their root systems. Therefore, it’s better to plant them now and let them overwinter so you can get a good harvest next season:

• garlic (September – October);

• shallot (September – October);

• berries (e.g., blueberry).

Take Care of Nature

Instead of throwing lawn clippings and organic waste into plastic bags and cluttering landfills, try turning them into organic fertilizer (compost). You can use it for mulching before winter or for soil restoration in early spring.

To make compost, layer the waste and let it decompose. If you want to mulch soil before winter, scoop mature compost (which looks like brown soil) from the compost bin and spread it in circles around shrubs and trees.

If you want to use fertilizer in spring, leave the layered organic matter in place and use the mature compost during spring work.

Photo on cover: Design: Irina Lukyanova