Question
Hi,

We want to plant maple and plum trees.  The maples are about 3 1/2 - 4 calibers and the plum are 3 calibers.  The landscaper wants to plant them in November.  This sounds a bit late to us.  We think that the first frost sets in shortly afterwards.  What is your opinion?  We live in Southern New Jersey (we think that is zone 7).  

Thanks in advance.

Answer
I, too, live in a Zone 7. Our first frost is in about 3 weeks.  

We regularly have our contractors installing plant material in "late fall", and its really a call based on the weather.  If it's a slow-starting winter, go for it.  If there is 2 feet of snow on the ground and the contractor is heating the ground up to dig, NO WAY!

There have been several studies about late-fall versus early spring installation plant performance.  It is better to get the bigger plants into the ground before the winter weather, than wait for the spring thaw.  They tend to perform with better vigor in the spring, than one that is newly planted.

Either way, you have three things going in your favor; 1.) The deciduous Maple & Plum won't care, as they should be dormant by then. 2.) The size of the plants are going to help them survive the winter, and 3.) Any reliable contractor is going to give you a 1-year guarantee on the plant material, as that's usually what they get from the tree-supplier.

Hope it allays some of your concern about late-fall tree planting.  

PS ?Use at least 4 inches of bark-mulch at the base of the new trees to keep any tender roots from being damaged by the winter deep-freeze

-Marc