Is fall a good time to plant trees and shrubs?

Yes, if it is early enough. UC Master Gardeners in Placer County say warm fall soil encourages root growth, roots keep growing until the ground freezes, and a fall-planted tree is better equipped for its first summer’s heat and drought. Penn State Extension recommends planting container-grown trees and shrubs from early to mid-fall.

How late in the fall can I plant a tree?

Penn State Extension says plan on at least six weeks before the first frost so the roots can establish. UC Master Gardeners in Placer County say finish about six weeks before your first expected frost, eight weeks for evergreens, and that the soil 6 inches down should be about 55 °F at planting.

How often should I water a newly planted tree in fall?

University of Minnesota Extension: every day for 1 to 2 weeks after planting, every 2 to 3 days until 12 weeks, then weekly until roots are established, at 1 to 1.5 gallons per inch of trunk diameter. A steady 1-inch rain can replace a day of watering. If fall is dry, water heavily before the ground freezes.

Should I water trees in winter?

Where winters are dry, yes. Colorado State University Extension says water newly planted trees monthly on sunny days when it is above 40 °F and the ground is not frozen, early in the day so the water soaks in before it freezes at night.

How much mulch goes around a new tree?

Minnesota says 3 to 4 inches of shredded wood mulch over the roots, pulled about 6 inches back from the trunk. Colorado State uses 4 to 5 inches of wood chips in a ring at least 2 to 4 feet wide, not on top of a new tree’s root ball, and never piled against the trunk.

Should I fertilize a tree I plant in fall?

Minnesota warns that plants growing vigorously late in fall are the most likely to suffer winter dieback, and says to avoid late-summer pruning, fertilizing and overwatering.

Guides

When to Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall, by Zone

A tree or shrub planted in early fall goes into its first summer with a season of root growth behind it. Planted too late, its roots have too little time to establish before winter. The deadline is set by your first frost.

Published October 22, 2026 · Updated November 2, 2026 · Cite this page

The rule

Penn State Extension: plant early enough in the fall for the root system to establish itself in the new soil (plan on at least six weeks before the first frost). UC Master Gardeners in Placer County give the same six weeks, and eight weeks for evergreens.

Placer County's Master Gardeners tie the timing to soil temperature: many plants grow roots in soil as cool as 45 °F, and roots keep growing until the ground freezes. At planting time, they say, the soil 6 inches down should be about 55 °F.

Last fall planting dates by USDA zone

Six weeks (deciduous) and eight weeks (evergreen) before the first fall freeze at the median NOAA station in each zone, and before that station's cold-year date.

Zone	Deciduous trees and shrubs, by	Evergreens, by	Deciduous, in a cold year	First fall freeze, median
Zone 3	August 11	July 28	July 27	September 22
Zone 4	August 17	August 3	August 4	September 28
Zone 5	August 24	August 10	August 11	October 5
Zone 6	September 5	August 22	August 21	October 17
Zone 7	September 14	August 31	August 31	October 26
Zone 8	September 28	September 14	September 14	November 9
Zone 9	October 20	October 6	September 30	December 1
Zone 10	November 20	November 6	October 28	January 1

⚠️ Plant early in the window, not on the last day. The sources count from the first frost; NOAA's normals here are the first 32 °F freeze, and frost can form on leaves a few degrees above freezing — so your first frost may come before these dates. The cold-year column counts back from the date the median station's first freeze falls after in 9 years of 10. In zone 10, 19% of the 234 stations record no freeze at all, so there the frost deadline is not the limit. For your own station, enter your ZIP code in What can I still plant?

How to plant in fall

Check drainage first. University of Minnesota Extension: dig a hole 18 inches deep, fill it with water and leave it overnight. If it has not drained by morning, choose another spot or a plant tolerant of wet soil.
Loosen the roots. Fall stock has often spent all summer in its pot. Penn State says check it is not pot-bound and, for trees and shrubs, cut an X in the bottom of the root ball and a few shallow slits down the sides so the roots spread into the soil.
Backfill and water as you go. Minnesota: add soil a few inches at a time, firming it, and use water to settle it and remove air pockets. Leave a ridge of soil around the hole to hold water.
Water on a schedule. Minnesota and Colorado State give the same one: daily for the first 1 to 2 weeks, every 2 to 3 days to 12 weeks, then weekly until roots establish — at 1 to 1.5 gallons per inch of trunk diameter (Minnesota). Feel the soil before you water; Colorado State warns that overwatering clay soils waterlogs the hole.
Mulch. 3 to 4 inches of shredded wood over the roots, kept about 6 inches from the trunk (Minnesota).
Do not feed it. Minnesota: avoid late-summer pruning, fertilizing and overwatering, because plants growing vigorously late in fall suffer the most winter dieback.

Getting a new tree through its first winter

This section is about a tree or shrub planted this fall. For established shrubs — burlap, road salt, snow and ice, deer and rabbits — see how to protect shrubs from winter damage.

Water until the ground freezes

Minnesota: if the fall has been dry, water heavily before the ground freezes, to reduce frost penetration. For evergreens it says cut watering back slightly in September to let them harden off, then water thoroughly in October until freeze-up — watering only in late fall does not help. Colorado State says late-summer and early-fall planting works if irrigation can be provided until the ground freezes.

Water in dry winters too

Where winters bring little moisture, Colorado State waters newly planted trees monthly on sunny days above 40 °F when the ground is not frozen, early in the day so the water soaks in before night.

Mulch against heaving

Repeated freezing and thawing heaves new plantings out of the ground. Minnesota says a 4- to 6-inch layer of mulch prevents it by keeping soil temperatures steadier; Penn State says the same of a thick layer.

Wrap thin-barked trees

Winter sun warming the trunk can split bark. Minnesota recommends white tree guards — not brown paper or black guards, which absorb heat — on newly planted trees for at least two winters, and up to five or more for thin-barked species: on in fall, off in spring after the last frost.

Your ZIP code

Your ZIP, your answer

Enter your ZIP code to see your USDA zone, the last dates to plant trees and shrubs this fall in that zone, read from the table on this page, and the freeze dates of the NOAA station nearest you.

This box needs JavaScript to answer on the page. Without it, the button opens the ZIP code zone finder; your zone’s row is in the table on this page.

Your answer appears here.

Full details for any ZIP code: ZIP code zone finder.

Common mistakes

Planting too late. Under six weeks before frost (eight for evergreens), roots have too little time.
Planting a pot-bound plant as it is. Loosen or score the roots first (Penn State).
Stopping water when the leaves drop. Minnesota and Colorado State both keep watering new plantings until the ground freezes.
Fertilizing or pruning in late summer and fall. It pushes soft growth into winter (Minnesota).
Mulch against the trunk. Keep it back; Colorado State says never pile chips against the trunk.
Dark tree wrap. It absorbs heat; use white (Minnesota).
Expecting it to be established by spring. Colorado State says a 1-inch-caliper tree takes 12 to 18 months to establish its roots, and a 4-inch tree four to six years.

What survives my winter? — fruit and nut trees, berries and perennials checked against your zone
Shrubs and trees by zone: Hydrangea, Magnolia, Dogwood, Serviceberry, Crape myrtle, Rose, Azalea, Japanese maple, Lilac, Viburnum, Camellia, Gardenia, Forsythia, Spirea, Rose of Sharon and Weigela. All in one place on plant guides by zone.
USDA hardiness zone by ZIP code
Zones and frost dates by state
Planting by the Moon: What the Evidence Says
How to Protect Plants from Frost: Covers, Timing, Temps
Fall Lawn Care by Region: Fertilize, Aerate, Overseed

Questions

Is fall a good time to plant trees and shrubs?: Yes, if it is early enough. UC Master Gardeners in Placer County say warm fall soil encourages root growth, roots keep growing until the ground freezes, and a fall-planted tree is better equipped for its first summer’s heat and drought. Penn State Extension recommends planting container-grown trees and shrubs from early to mid-fall.
How late in the fall can I plant a tree?: Penn State Extension says plan on at least six weeks before the first frost so the roots can establish. UC Master Gardeners in Placer County say finish about six weeks before your first expected frost, eight weeks for evergreens, and that the soil 6 inches down should be about 55 °F at planting.
How often should I water a newly planted tree in fall?: University of Minnesota Extension: every day for 1 to 2 weeks after planting, every 2 to 3 days until 12 weeks, then weekly until roots are established, at 1 to 1.5 gallons per inch of trunk diameter. A steady 1-inch rain can replace a day of watering. If fall is dry, water heavily before the ground freezes.
Should I water trees in winter?: Where winters are dry, yes. Colorado State University Extension says water newly planted trees monthly on sunny days when it is above 40 °F and the ground is not frozen, early in the day so the water soaks in before it freezes at night.
How much mulch goes around a new tree?: Minnesota says 3 to 4 inches of shredded wood mulch over the roots, pulled about 6 inches back from the trunk. Colorado State uses 4 to 5 inches of wood chips in a ring at least 2 to 4 feet wide, not on top of a new tree’s root ball, and never piled against the trunk.
Should I fertilize a tree I plant in fall?: Minnesota warns that plants growing vigorously late in fall are the most likely to suffer winter dieback, and says to avoid late-summer pruning, fertilizing and overwatering.

Sources

Dates on this page are computed when the site is built from NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals (first fall freeze at 32 °F, for every station the ZIP codes in each zone cite). Zones are the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. Every rule — how long before or after a freeze to plant, how deep, how much — is quoted from the extension publications below, each of which writes for its own area.

Penn State Extension, Is Fall for Planting? , by Lois Miklas (Updated July 16, 2026). Written for: Pennsylvania (USDA zones 5b–8a).
UC Master Gardeners of Placer County (University of California), Fall Planting Time , by Johanne Ryker (The Curious Gardener, Fall 2011). Written for: Placer and Nevada Counties, California (USDA zones 6b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b).
University of Minnesota Extension, Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs . Written for: Minnesota (USDA zones 3a–5a).
University of Minnesota Extension, Protecting trees and shrubs in winter . Written for: Minnesota (USDA zones 3a–5a).
Colorado State University Extension, Care of Recently Planted Trees . Written for: Colorado (USDA zones 4a–7a).

Nothing here replaces your own state's cooperative extension service, which knows your county. Where this site's numbers come from.

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