Can I Plant Trees and Shrubs in December?

It’s almost December, and we in the DC area are in Plant Hardiness Zone 7 as defined by the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Many folks may be wondering, if I live in Zone 7, is it OK to plant and/or transplant in December? There is an old saying that, “when the ground is soft enough to plant, the plants are soft enough to be planted.” In other words, you can plant until the soil is frozen solid and the temperatures remain consistently above freezing. Even if the soil freezes immediately after planting, your shrub or tree will be just fine. In fact, the Plant Man writes, “Because they are in their dormant period, trees and shrubs are less likely to suffer ‘transplantation shock’ at this time of year.” (December).

Happy Planting!   (Questions about planting? Contact Johnson’s Landscaping – we’d love to help!)