OEveryone knows the expression “On St. Catherine's Day, all wood takes root,” meaning it's an ideal time to plant. Yes, but why? What to plant? Are there any rules? We'll explain it to you.
Why plant at Sainte-Catherine?
As we can see, in the fall, plants lose their leaves and enter a vegetative rest, which reduces the stress linked to planting, particularly for recently dug up trees and shrubs, promoting better recovery. “The sap circulates more slowly, they lose their leaves and go dormant. The dry stems appear dead, but this is not the case, the plant is just resting,” explains the Promesse de Fleurs website.
What conditions?
Some gardeners give us some tips for successfully planting. We therefore first avoid frosty days and ensure that it will not freeze during the days following planting. “If it freezes regularly, it will be difficult or impossible to dig a hole. Likewise, the abundant watering that a plant needs when planting risks turning into a fiasco. Just imagine the consequences of watering spilled at the foot of a tree when it is –5 to –10ºC…”points out the site Jardiner malin.
We will also avoid days of heavy rain: the soil is deeply moist, but not waterlogged. Finally, we will make sure to mulch our plantations well to protect them from the cold. “The start of planting is given by the fall of the leaves and when the outside temperature has no longer exceeded 5ºC for several days”summarizes the Promesse de Fleurs website.
What plant?
We plant the bare root trees and shrubs : fruit trees, hedges, ornamental trees. But also everything that is climbing plants (shrub honeysuckle, climbing roses, etc.) or garden shrubs such as gooseberries, blackcurrants, hazelnuts or forsythias.
Be careful, however: this tradition of Saint Catherine's Day remains subject to local conditions: early frost in the northern regions of France or mild winters in the south. It’s up to you, gardener friends, to pay attention to the climate.
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