As the leaves on the trees start to change color, the days get shorter, and the weather gets cooler, planting trees and other plants may be the last thing on your mind. However, as plants wind down growing in anticipation of dormancy, this is actually a great time to plant!
Planting plugs, livestakes, trees, and shrubs in the fall a month or so before the ground freezes allows the plants time to prepare more vigorous root systems before spring comes. Increased root growth makes plants more resilient and more likely to flower during the first spring and summer. Planting in the fall also requires less ongoing support from us! Plants put in the ground in the fall won’t have to be watered again (we soak everything once as soon as it’s planted) until the springtime.
This October we have a number of plantings planned that we would love your help with:
On Saturday, October 3, we will be doing a restoration planting in Baxter Woods in Portland. This planting will be at the vernal pool located 0.25 miles down the trail from the Stevens Avenue entrance. Vernal pools provide important habitat for a variety of animals including birds, frogs, and salamanders. By planting shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants surrounding this seasonal water feature, we are able to improve that habitat ensuring that the site will continue to provide benefits to organisms in Baxter Woods. Sign up here >
On Saturday, October 17, we will be planting a large number of trees and shrubs at Riverton Trolley Park in Portland. In the mature riparian forest and along the river, many dead ash trees have recently been removed. To help improve the understory, stabilize the slope, and prevent the takeover of invasive plants, it is important that we plant new trees to take the place of the ash. This project will help diversify the park, create new canopy cover, and maintain habitat animals that live in and use this area. Sign up here >
Fall is also the time to get our Community Tree Nurseries ready for winter! Before winter comes and the majority of trees become dormant there is much work to be done. Just like in a garden, fall is the ideal time to plant new trees in our nurseries. Those small trees will spend their next few years in the nursery until they are large enough to be planted on city streets. This is a great time to mulch the trees in order to protect their roots and keep heat in during the winter. Tree pruning is another fantastic fall activity to get rid of root suckers, overlapping branches, dead branches, and encourage single-stemmed growth. It also gives us the opportunity to make infrastructural improvements to our nursery so that come busy springtime, the nursery is fully ready for the growing season.
On Wednesday, October 7, we welcome help from volunteers as we make infrastructural improvements at the Bangor Community Tree Nursery. We will be adding shelves to the shed for storing materials during the winter. We will also be repairing holes in the fence. Keeping animals out of the nursery is especially important during the winter months when food is more scarce. Sign up here >
On Saturday, October 10, we will be hosting volunteer pruning, planting, and mulching at the Auburn Community Tree Nursery. The Auburn Nursery has trees in the ground of varying sizes from small “whip” trees to larger trees that are almost ready to be planted in the cities of Lewiston and Auburn. Both the small and large trees in the nursery need to be cared for before they enter dormancy. Small trees benefit from mulching and correction of diagonal growth. Large trees benefit from pruning so they are better shaped to be planted on streets and so they can preserve their energy for more desirable growth. Sign up here >
We hope to see you this fall at one of our volunteer days!
