September Is for Planting

September 8, 2026

Before the landscape goes quiet for winter, there is still time to plant, fill in the gaps, and start planning for spring. September is one of the best times of year to plant in Minnesota. As summer heat begins to ease, cooler air and still-warm soil create ideal conditions for planting perennials, shrubs, and trees.

If your landscape has an empty spot waiting for a shrub or tree, or if something didn’t quite make it through the summer, now is a good time to fill the gap. Fall planting allows plants to establish roots while the soil is still warm, while cooler temperatures reduce heat stress and water loss compared to the height of summer.

There is an important distinction happening below ground, too. As plants slow their above-ground growth in fall, roots can continue developing as long as the soil remains warm enough. Planting in early fall gives roots time to establish before the ground freezes, helping plants enter winter with a stronger foundation for spring growth.

A Few Plants to Consider This Fall

Every landscape has different needs, from light and soil conditions to drainage, exposure, scale, and the way a space is meant to be used. Our horticultural team considers all of these factors when determining what belongs in a landscape and where.

For fall planting, there are countless possibilities. Serviceberry, river birch, and oak can provide long-term structure and seasonal interest as trees. Among shrubs, ninebark, viburnum, chokeberry, dogwood, or hydrangea can bring texture, screening, structure, and fall color. For perennial spaces, asters, coneflower, sedum, hardy geranium, ornamental grasses, and other pollinator-supporting plants can add seasonal interest while contributing to a healthier landscape ecosystem.

These are simply a few of the plants our team may consider. The right selection depends on the landscape itself, and thoughtful planting is about more than filling an empty space. It is about choosing plants that will complement the design, thrive in their conditions, and contribute to the landscape for years to come.

New plantings still need regular watering through the fall, particularly during dry periods, but cooler conditions generally make it easier to maintain adequate moisture without battling the intense heat and evaporation of summer. Evergreens should be especially well hydrated going into winter.

Green Mulch

As part of fall landscape care, our horticultural team can recommend incorporating green mulch and low-growing ground covers, such as Pennsylvania Sedge, as alternatives to traditional mulch or sod. Green mulch is an ecological approach that uses a dense layer of living plants beneath taller perennials, shrubs, and trees. Rather than leaving bare soil and relying on wood chips, living foliage helps suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, reduce erosion, and protect soil health.

Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) is a low-growing, mat-forming ground cover that spreadsby runners to fill bare spaces and suppress weeds. A low-maintenance alternative to traditional mulch, it works well beneath trees, along pathways, and between stepping stones while providing valuable habitat and nectar for bees and butterflies.

Once established, these plantings can require less mowing, watering, and maintenance than conventional turf while providing greater ecological value. Native and well-adapted ground covers can support pollinators and biodiversity, create habitat, and contribute to a more resilient landscape. Introducing these plants in the fall also allows them to establish their root systems before the stresses of summer.

Our horticultural team can evaluate individual planting areas and recommend appropriate ground covers based on site conditions, sunlight, soil moisture, and intended use, helping create a landscape that balances aesthetics, maintenance, and sustainability.

Start Thinking Spring

While September is a great time to plant for the season ahead, it is also time to start planning for spring. Through biota’s Lifetime Care service, our horticultural team creates planting designs unique to your space, and we can select bulbs that complement and enhance your existing landscape. We’re here to help your landscape evolve, thrive, and become more beautiful with every season.

Spring-flowering bulbs including tulips, daffodils, crocus, and allium are planted in the fall so they can establish roots before the ground freezes and complete the cold period they need to bloom in spring. For many Twin Cities landscapes, mid-October is a good target, depending on the weather.

Let Our Horticultural Team Help

Fall is an opportunity to take stock of your landscape and make thoughtful adjustments before winter. Through biota’s Lifetime Care service, our horticultural team can identify gaps, assess plants that struggled through the season, and develop thoughtful additions that complement the landscape and its long-term needs.

From selecting and planting a single replacement shrub to rethinking an entire planting area, our team brings the horticultural knowledge and design perspective needed to make those decisions with intention. We can also select and plant spring bulbs now, so the landscape is already set up for color when the growing season returns.

A landscape is never truly finished. It grows, changes, responds to its surroundings, and becomes more beautiful with time. Our role is to be a partner in that process, caring for the landscape through every season and helping it thrive for a lifetime.