Reference
When Is the Best Time to Plant Trees and Shrubs?
The short answer
The best times to plant trees and shrubs are fall and early spring, when cool air and workable, unfrozen soil let roots establish without the plant straining to support a full canopy of leaves. Avoid summer planting when you can — plants in full leaf are under heat and water stress. In fall, aim to plant by early-to-mid fall so there are at least about six weeks of mild weather for root growth before the soil freezes.
A few exceptions favor spring: fleshy-rooted trees (dogwood, magnolia, tulip poplar, oak, ginkgo) and broadleaf evergreens (boxwood, holly, rhododendron) establish more reliably planted in spring. Bare-root plants must go in while fully dormant; balled-and-burlapped and container plants can go in almost any time the ground is workable.
The general rule
- Best: fall and early spring (cool air, warm/workable soil, roots grow while top growth is quiet).
- Avoid: mid-summer, when leafy plants face the most heat and drought stress.
- Fall cutoff: give plants roughly 6 weeks of mild weather before hard freeze so roots establish.
Exceptions and by root type
- 1Plant in spring — Fleshy-rooted trees (dogwood, magnolia, tulip poplar, oak, ginkgo) and broadleaf evergreens (boxwood, holly, mountain laurel, rhododendron) do best planted in spring.
- 2Bare-root — Plant while fully dormant and as soon as possible after purchase — bare roots dry out fast.
- 3Balled-and-burlapped (B&B) — Can be planted almost any time the ground can be worked.
- 4Container-grown — Most flexible — plant any time the soil is workable, with attention to watering if planted in summer heat.
✔ Whenever you plant, water the plant in and keep watering through its first year or two — establishment, not the calendar date, is what makes or breaks a new tree.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- University of Maryland Extension — Planting a Tree or Shrub — Fall, winter (unfrozen soil), and early spring are the best times to plant; fleshy-rooted trees and broadleaf evergreens are best planted in spring; bare-root plants go in while dormant, while B&B and container plants can be planted any time the ground is workable.
- University of New Hampshire Extension — Is fall a good time to plant trees and shrubs? — Fall planting works well when done early enough (about six weeks of mild weather before freeze) for roots to establish; deciduous plants are generally better suited to fall planting than evergreens.
- Penn State Extension — Is Fall for Planting? — Fall's warm soil and cool air stimulate root growth, making it a good planting window, but some species establish better when planted in spring.