Planting Shrubs in Fall

[Huskie]

If you plant shrubs like dogwood or lilacs as a border or hedge setting in the fall, will they develope enough of a root system to survive a southern mn winter?

[pushbutton]

both those plants are plenty hardy for minnesota and you should not have problems putting them in the ground during the fall.

[nofishfisherman]

I've planted several red twig dogwoods in the fall and they all did great. I've also planted a dwarf lilac in the fall and its also doing wonderfully.

[Steve Foss]

Fall is a great time to plant. While the plant does not grow in any way if you put it in when or after the leaves have turned, the freeze/thaw cycle of winter and spring, as well as spring snowmelt, will settle the soil around it, and it will be ready to rock and roll as soon as it warms up.

Down there in Zone 4 you'll have no trouble with winter kill on either of the shrub species you mentioned. Unless they are a specific cultivar developed for more southern climates, both those shrubs are hardy to Zone 3.

[Huskie]

Sounds great guys, thanks, Huskie