It would be nice if we could plant whatever we want to plant whenever we want to plant it. This would make planting flowers, trees and shrubs much easier. But planting year-round without any restrictions just isn’t feasible due to Connecticut’s cold and snowy winters.
The best time to plant is during the frost-free growing season that starts some time around early-May and ends around mid-October. Planting during this time period allows you to avoid plant-damaging frost and frozen soil and gives your plants a better chance of flourishing.
Once you know what sort of window you’re working with, you’re going to want to figure out which plants work best in which seasons. There are differing opinions on the most ideal times to grow certain plants, but for the sake of this post we’re going to use the recommendations found on the Old Farmer’s Almanac and UCONN’s Home & Garden Education Center websites:
Planting in spring
If you’re antsy to get going on your garden, start planting seeds indoors in pots or trays and come up with a plan for what will go where once the ground thaws. You might even be able to plant shrubs and perennials early on in the season depending on the weather. Flowers that take longer to get going and cold-friendly annuals such as pansies and snapdragons will be a good starting point.
Just make sure you wait until after the last frost of the season before you get started on those flower beds. Some will tell you they start after Mother’s Day every year as a general rule of thumb.
MARCH
Deciduous trees and shrubs
Start seedlings of annuals (aster, pansies, calendulas, larkspur, alyssum, snapdragons and petunias)
APRIL
Lily of the valley, garden lilies and violets
Shrubs (rosebushes) and perennials
MAY
Summer bulbs (cannas, gladiolis and dahlias)
Caladium and tuberous begonias
Annuals
Shade tree or flowering tree
Planting in summer
The hot temperatures and dry soil in the summer aren’t ideal for most plants, but with a little extra tender loving care (aka water) you can still get in some productive planting during the warmer months. Go with heat-tolerant plants such as petunias and marigolds. When planting in the early part of the summer, try begonias.
You’re going to want to plant in the evening or on cloudy days. This gives the plant time to get acclimated before facing a more stressful sunny afternoon.
JUNE
Summer annuals (cosmos, salvia, marigolds, petunias)
Summer bulbs (cannas, gladiolis and dahlias)
Caladium and tuberous begonias
JULY
Annuals
Perennials
Iris and daylilies
AUGUST
Fall-flowering bulbs
Hardy lily bulbs
Perennials
Trees (evergreens) and shrubs
Planting in fall
Now is when you want to plan ahead to next year. Spend part of your fall planting perennials such as peonies, and spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, and watch your yard pop with color come spring and summer.
The best time of the year to plant most trees and shrubs is in the fall. The cooler temperatures are easier on the trees and shrubs than the harsh summer heat and the autumn rain helps them establish a stronger root system.
Ideally you’ll plant your bulbs 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes. But if that’s not possible, you could still plant certain bulbs and trees as long as the soil isn’t frozen solid. Snow on the ground? Brush it to the side. Once your shovel makes little to no headway in the ground though, it’s time to pack it up and call it a day — or should we say year?
SEPTEMBER
Spring bulbs (tulip, trout lily, daffodil, snowdrop, starflower)
Trees and shrubs
Perennials (Peonies)
Accent plants (mums and asters)
OCTOBER
Spring bulbs (tulip, daffodil, hyacinth bulbs and crocus corms)
Sedum, hardy mums, asters, and fall pansies
NOVEMBER
Spring bulbs
Trees and shrubs
Planting in winter
Feel free to take a break from thinking about flowers, trees and shrubs and recharge your batteries. But if you must do some planting, you could start planting seeds inside to get a head start.
JANUARY
Start annuals (marigolds, sweet peas, stattice, impatiens, petunias, and snapdragons)
Start perennials (delphinium, shasta daisy, carnation, digitalis, and armeria)
Start seeds (geranium, begonia, vinca, and viola)
FEBRUARY
Start some perennials (begonias,, delphinium, carnation, and armeria)
Start some annuals (marigolds, impatiens, pansies, snapdragons, and petunias)
Connecticut Plant Hardiness Zone Map
When choosing plants for your home, you’re going to want to keep in mind that Connecticut cities such as Weston and Wilton fall under Zone 6b on the USDA plant hardiness zone map while Westport, Norwalk, Fairfield and Darien fall into 7a.
What does that even mean? The hardiness map helps you know which plants — particularly perennial flowers, shrubs and trees — will thrive in your local climate and is based on the average annual extreme minimum temperatures. The colder the weather in your area, the lower the zone number.
If you live in zone 6 on the hardiness map, you’re going to want to make sure the packet of seeds or tag on the plant you’re buying says zone 6. That way you’ll know if what you’re purchasing is likely to survive the winter in your area.
The good news for all you Zone 6ers and 7ers is that both areas enjoy a mild climate that is conducive to growing many plants, especially shrubs such as hydrangea and rhododendron and perennials such as daisies and daylilies, to name a few.
Where to buy plants
There are plenty of places to buy plants in Connecticut, including big box chains, hardware stores, and independent stores. In order to figure out which store is best for you, you first need to decide what is most important to you.
The best deals on plants are likely to be found at the Home Depot and Lowe’s, according to a 2019 survey by checkbook.org. The study surveyed prices on plants in seven cities across the US and found that the Home Depot’s prices were 29 percent lower than average while Lowe’s prices were 26 percent below average. You won’t have to go too far to find these national behemoths. There are 30 Home Depot stores and 16 Lowe’s stores in Connecticut, including one of each in Norwalk and Darien.
If it’s quality you value most, you likely will want to go to an independent store. Customers surveyed by checkbox.org gave their planting products an 83 out of 100 while giving Home Depot and Lowe’s a paltry 38 and 44, respectively. The big box chains fared even worse when it comes to helpful advice. Home Depot and Lowe’s employees were given a 25 and 32 out of 100 while independent store employees earned a 77. The trade-off is that the prices at these places are higher than at the big box stores, in some cases significantly higher.
When to buy plants
The most popular time to buy plants is the spring. People have been holed up inside for months and are antsy to get going on their yards. Those willing to wait until the end of a season in mid-July or early-October when the selection is limited and plants are past their bloom time can find good sales on trees, bushes and perennials. You like sales, right?
It’s during these times that stores are looking to clear out that season’s inventory and replace them with the next season’s inventory. You’re going to need to be patient with these plants. The recovery time could be long. And you need to know which discounted plants to avoid, like annuals.
Connecticut Flower & Garden Show
The next Connecticut Flower & Garden Show is scheduled to take place at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford in February 2025. Expect over 80 hours of demonstrations and seminars from horticulturists and landscapers. Seminar topics scheduled for 2021 include “Garden Design for Changing Climates” and “Building Better Garden Beds and a Pruning Primer.”
The Connecticut Flower & Garden Show is said to draw a crowd of 40,000-plus each year and offers over 300 booths where you can purchase flowers, gardening books and gardening supplies. Admission for the four-day event is $18 for adults.
Landscapers near me
Working on your own flower beds can be a relaxing and fulfilling activity, but it takes a lot of work. Not everyone has time for that, or the know-how. That’s where a landscaping company comes in. The professionals can take your planting ideas and turn them into a reality, while also giving you their advice on what works best for your yard.
Now is where we plug T&J Landscaping and Masonry (you knew it was coming): We’ve been landscaping in Weston, Wilton, Westport, Redding, Darien, Norwalk and New Canaan for 13 years and are available to handle all your planting needs. Call 203-451-8877 or click here to schedule an appointment. If we don’t serve your area, try Angie’s List or Yelp! to find landscapers near you.