Bald Cypress

After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give Bald Cypress Trees a good deep watering. This is not to be rushed. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. Remember during the establishment period Bald Cypress Trees will require lots of additional water until the roots become established.

Bald Cypress Trees grow best if they are fertilized lightly in the spring once frost has passed with a well-balanced, extended-release, fertilizer such as espoma Tree-tone. Fertilize Bald Cypress Trees again 6 to 8 weeks later to encourage denser foliage or faster growth of young trees. Either chemical fertilizers or organic matter can be used successfully with Bald Cypress Trees. Since an organic method of applying manure and/or compost around the roots, produces excellent results and also improves the condition of the soil, this would be an excellent first line of attack. Organic additions to the soil can also be combined with a shot of chemical fertilizer for maximum effect. If chemical fertilizers are used on your Bald Cypress, applying a slow-release, balanced fertilizer once a year is probably the simplest solution. There are many slow-release fertilizers on the market. If you can find a fertilizer formulated for shrubs and trees, this fertilizer would work well on Bald Cypress Trees. However, slow-release is certainly not the only way to fertilizer trees such as the Bald Cypress Tree. A less expensive fast release fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 will work just as well if applied twice during the early spring and early summer. If you are looking for a fertilizing routine tailored to your specific conditions, a soil sample should be taken and the fertilizer and trace elements matched to the needs of your soil. Don't fertilize Bald Cypress Tree after August. Fall is the time for plants to begin preparing for dormancy. Fertilizing at this time may stimulate new growth that will be too tender to withstand the winter.

We highly recommend that you mulch your Bald Cypress Trees with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant.

In general gardening terms, pruning is probably the most misunderstood gardening chore, and certainly, the chore that is most likely neglected. When we specifically look at pruning with regards to trees, this misunderstanding and negligence can be magnified. Pruning has been described as a “combination of art and science.” I find pruning to be one of the most relaxing yet rewarding chores in the garden. Pruning a specific plant to look a specific way, involves art in creating a unique definition for a specific plant, and it involves science in understanding the physical growing habits of the plant to be pruned. The most important reason for pruning tree is to improve the overall health of the plant which in turn will reward you with a abundance of foliage. Many times, trees that have not been pruned in a few years will develop dead or degenerative twigs. Removing the dead and dying limbs of Bald Cypress Trees will minimize the possibility of diseases such as “dieback” and will also allow the plant to re-concentrate its energies and produce flowers. It is important to always use sharp tools when pruning Bald Cypress Trees or any plant for that matter. Knives, hand cutters, saws, and shears should be sharpened if necessary before pruning any plant. A sharp cut will heal quicker than a jagged cut, which will also minimize the likelihood of disease investing a cut during pruning. It is generally recommended to not use power equipment such as gas hedgers to prune gardenias. Pruning large Bald Cypress Tree may be minor or major. Its general purpose is to maintain or restore vigor to the plant. Large Bald Cypress Trees that have been severely pruned have the advantage of a large root system that has excessive capacity, and its roots are capable of supplying all of its energies to a smaller number of branches and foliage. This enables the plant to increase its vigor, and become healthier. Pruning large Bald Cypress Trees that are well established will enable the plant to have continued vigor, and lead to many more years of supplying beauty to the landscape. Remember once your Bald Cypress Tree is becoming large and mature it may be best to let a professional arborist do the pruning.