Ozark Garden Talk – Episode 8: Autumn Gardening in the Ozarks - Fall Planting Favorites
- White River Nursery
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
Released: August 20, 2025
Hosts: Sarah McCue, Charity Cox, Alex Royce
Episode Length: ~33 minutes
🌱 Episode Summary
Welcome back to Ozark Garden Talk with White River Nursery! In this episode, Sarah McCue (Owner), Charity Cox (Purchasing & Events), and Alex Royce (General Manager) dive into the joys of fall gardening. From trees with brilliant autumn color to bulbs, native grasses, and even edibles, the team shares what they’re planting and why fall is the best time to get things in the ground.
🕰️ Episode Highlights
🍁 Fall Inspiration & Garden Projects
[00:00:30] Sarah kicks things off with the thrill of cooler breezes and upcoming fall plant deliveries.
[00:01:00] Charity shares how delayed spring projects are now perfect for fall.
[00:01:30] Alex notes that the shift in light and air inspires new garden ideas.
🌳 Trees with Stunning Fall Color
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
[00:02:00] Charity recently planted a native black gum and shares how its brilliant stop-sign red fall color rivals red maples.
Alex notes colors vary by tree—some lean burgundy, others bright red.
🌱 Plant Spotlight: Black Gum
[00:04:30] Reminder: 🍂 Fall is a great time to plant trees since roots establish over winter.
🌼 Bulbs for Spring – Plant Now!
[00:05:00] Sarah plans to go all-in on daffodils and Alliums, wishing she'd planted more in previous years.
· Group discussion on mixes of daffodils for bloom progression, color variation, and deer resistance.
· Favorite varieties:
o Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) mixes of all kinds
o Allium 'Gladiator' & 'Ostara'
o Proven Winners' 'Party Balloons' Allium
· All are hardy, deer-resistant, pollinator-friendly, and great for dry arrangements too.
Cool Season Veggies & Edibles (8:30 - 9:30)
· Alex shares plans for broccoli and kale.
· Tips for timing fall veggie planting despite lingering heat.
🌾 Native Grasses Bring Drama & Movement
[00:09:30] Charity highlights Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) cultivars like Lord Snowden (powdery blue, towering over 6 ft) and Red October (fiery fall foliage).
[00:12:00] She also discusses Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), including Prairie Blues and straight species for prairie restoration.
Benefits:
Low maintenance 🌞
Gorgeous red/burgundy fall hues
Essential support plants in prairie ecosystems
Emphasizes early planting (August/early Sept) for best establishment.
Creating a Beautyberry Screen (Callicarpa americana) (17:00 - 19:00)
Sarah wants to replace invasive plants with a mass planting of beautyberry for its showy purple berries and fall color.
Bonus: The berries are edible! Think jelly and lemonade.
🌸 Viburnums – Testing Fall Performers
[00:21:00] Charity experiments with several species:
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum (V. rufidulum) – native, showy fall color.
Mapleleaf Viburnum (V. acerifolium) – shade-loving, colorful leaves.
Nannyberry Viburnum (V. lentago) – edible fruit possibilities.
Discussion of Brandywine Viburnum (glossy leaves, pink & blue berries) and local use by landscapers like Designscapes.
🌳 New Arrivals: Rise and Shine Redbud
[00:27:00] Charity and Sarah discuss the arrival of the new cultivar, Rise and Shine Redbud, a more resilient alternative to the popular Rising Sun Redbud.
Compact (10–15 ft), glowing gold/orange foliage, and better disease resistance.
Perfect size for fall planting (coming in 5-gallon pots).
🦋 Monarch Migration
[00:30:30] Alex highlights the super-generation migration returning south in late August–October.
Best nectar plants to support monarchs:
Goldenrod 🌼
Asters 🌸
Hardy Ageratum (Blue Mistflower) 💙
👉 Tip: Monitor sightings at MonarchWatch.org
🌟 Key Takeaways
🌳 Fall is the best time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs.
🌼 Daffodils & alliums = reliable, deer-resistant spring color.
🌾 Native grasses add movement, color, and structure to prairie gardens.
🌸 Viburnums are versatile shrubs offering blooms, berries, and brilliant fall foliage.
🦋 Support monarchs this season with nectar-rich fall flowers.
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