Slow Growers to Plant in the Fall
Not sure what to plant in the fall? Start these slow-growing plants in autumn so that you can offer your customers large containers in the spring. Begin potting rooted plugs in mid-September to fully establish root systems by mid-October to early November. This allows for better hardiness as you overwinter in your commercial greenhouse.
Lower your greenhouse temperature gradually, beginning in late September. Implement a change of 5℉ per week, moving from a typical temperature of 65℉ to a winter temperature of 40℉ by November 15. Adjust temperatures as necessary to account for the needs of your particular crops.
Slow Angelwing Begonia
Start these unique flowering foliage plants in the fall to offer their year-round blooms to your customers. Slow-growing varieties do especially well as fall plantings. Try Lana, Sophia, My Special Angel, Fannie Moser, Looking Glass, or Miss Mummy.
Chlorophytum
Starting Spider Plants early is a great way to offer your customers a wonderful houseplant in early spring. Chlorophytum is easy to grow, cold and drought tolerant, and serve as natural air filters.
Geraniums
Grow hanging baskets of Pelargonium beginning in the fall for full early-spring offerings of this easy-care plant. Your customers will love the dark foliage and bright flowers ready to brighten the front porch or back patio in early spring.
Pellionia
Start some Pellionia in the fall as it’s handy to offer to customers year-round. The evergreen foliage can serve as groundcover and also does well in hanging baskets, terrariums, or small containers as a houseplant.
Trailing Succulents
Many customers enjoy keeping succulents as house plants because they’re easy to grow and offer interest year-round. Start a grouping in the fall in small containers to stave off winter blues and offer your customers some mid-winter or early-spring green.
Ferns
Offer 10 or 12-inch fern containers to your customers by starting them in the fall for spring sales. The Macho Fern (or Giant Sword Fern) makes a wonderful large floor plant for a customer’s home.
Carnation
The trailing carnation is winter hardy and makes fantastic early-spring hanging baskets. Start plants in the fall, regularly cutting back flowers over the winter, and prepare for a wealth of color to offer your customers in the spring.
Lotus
Starting Lotus plants in the fall allows for the vernalization process they need to grow compactly and bloom well. Keep them in a 45℉ greenhouse in the winter, and move them to a warmer space in the spring for blooming.
Jacobinia
Start Jacobinia in the fall to offer large containers to your customers in the spring. A simple container of Jacobinia is great for a shady spot and will bloom all summer.
Piggyback plant
Tolmiea’s cold tolerance makes it an obvious choice for fall planting. In addition, the quick-growing piggyback plant has a mounding habit, which makes a wonderful hanging basket. When these plugs are planted in the fall, you’ll have a huge product to offer to customers in the spring.
As you choose what to plant in the fall, be sure to consider your winter greenhouse costs. It may be more cost-effective to close down your greenhouse for a few months and save on fuel rather than to have larger pots to offer in the spring.
