Why Fall Is the Better Planting Season, Not Spring
Spring gets treated as the default planting season, but fall often gives plants a better shot at establishing. Here's the actual reason why.
Spring gets all the marketing attention at nursery centers, but in Western Washington, autumn is quietly the ideal window for planting trees, shrubs, and perennials.
Warm Soil + Cool Air
In autumn, soil temperatures remain warm from summer heat, while air temperatures cool down. This environment encourages plants to focus energy entirely on root development rather than pushing out new foliage or flowers.
Natural Irrigation
Fall rains provide steady, deep moisture without the need for intensive daily hose watering. By the time summer heat arrives next July, fall-planted root systems are established deep in the soil, making them far more drought-tolerant than spring spring-planted stock.