Fall may not seem like the right time to plant when temperatures are falling and flowers are starting to fade. But it is perfect weather to establish new, perennial plants.

Freshly planted specimens should be concentrating on developing healthy roots. Cool soil and warm air temperatures in the spring favor new shoot growth. Without a well established root system, hot-day temperatures will easily cause the plant to stress and wilt, and require a lot of attention and watering.

Fall planting of shrubs and trees should be done from early September through the end of October when the soil is still warm enough to support active root growth. Plants still will require some watering to promote healthy roots, but much less because of the cooler weather. Limit fertilization in the fall since it will encourage fresh new shoot growth that can be damaged by the cooler air temperatures if the new shoots don't have enough time to harden off.

Fall is also the perfect time to get your favorite bulbs in the ground so they can establish their roots before their spectacular debut in the spring. New turf, too, will have more time to get its roots established before the hot summer temperatures. There are also a lot of delicious cool season vegetables, such as lettuce and radishes that can be planted in the fall for you to continue bringing fresh food to the table.

Buying plants in the fall has one other advantage.

A lot of the garden centers have their plants on sale so they don't have to care for them over the winter pots. Plants are more protected if they are planted in the ground, so plants on sale are to the gardener's advantage. Go shopping and save on some really great plants that will wow you when spring comes.