Fall is officially here, and we wanted to let you know that fall is one of the best times to begin planting various flowers, late-season veggies, and more!

The cooler weather brings about several benefits like fewer bugs and pests, and tolerable weather, and can give you a chance to start thinking about how you may want to extend your growing season.

Many flower bulbs are planted around this time of year and traditional veggies such as pumpkins, squashes, kale, broccoli, and more cold-hardy plants are often planted as well.

Keep reading below for why fall is an excellent time to start planting!

• Planting in the fall is advantageous to many types of shrubs and trees, allowing them to establish their roots before it gets too cold.

• Cooler mornings and cooler evenings help plants retain more water and can prevent wilting, or other heat-related complications in plants.

• You can set a greenhouse up and extend the planting season, giving plants some time to adjust and get started for a later harvest before a freeze occurs.

• Many plants, trees, and flowers need what is known as “cold stratification” through the fall and winter seasons, in order to germinate in the spring. This is especially true for many native plants you may want to introduce into your home and garden, requiring x number of cold snaps and weather to bloom or set fruits. Apple trees are one example of a tree that needs the cold through the winter to produce the next season, and waiting until spring to plant them can prove challenging and they may not set fruit without their required “cold hours.”

• There are a lot fewer insects buzzing about. Don’t you just hate those pest insects such as mosquitos and flies that get in the way of your outdoor enjoyment during summer? As the weather gets colder, many of those types of insects die off or hibernate, leaving you alone when you’re outside sprucing up your fall garden. This is also true for other insects such as squash bugs, Japanese beetles, cabbage beetles, and others that can decimate all your hard work in a matter of hours.

• The soil is still warm, which helps aid and abet root growth that the plant will need once the temps drop to freezing.

Click here for more information on why fall is an excellent time to plant!