You want to bring some Mediterranean flair to your garden? Then, of course, cypresses should not be missing. They are easy to plant.
Anyone who gets a cypress tree in their garden creates a Mediterranean flair, which gives many people a feeling of holiday travel far away. The appealing coniferous wood, which can reach far into the air, is not only reminiscent of the beautiful sides of Tuscany, but can even be left outdoors in winter in this country. However, this assumes that you have planted the cypresses in the correct location and in the required conditions. Cypresses only thrive in pots or in the garden at this latitude if the right environmental conditions are provided.
The right location for cypresses
Before a cypress can be planted, the correct location must be selected. Fortunately, this is a fairly undemanding ornamental plant that thrives very well in a wide variety of locations. However, a few minimum requirements should be met for the cypress to feel comfortable. These terms are as follows:
- a sandy soil enriched with humus a slightly acidic pH between 5 and 6
- a sunny or at least bright location
Only then can the cypress thrive as desired. If possible, you should always protect cypresses from extreme winds and particularly cold frosts. Therefore, a location close to a house wall or wall is ideal.
When is the best time to plant the cypress?
As with most other plants, the timing of planting is extremely important so that the cypress can take root in its new location without any problems. The plants are best planted in spring - shortly after the last frost has settled. This ensures that the cypresses can develop sufficiently strong roots by the coming autumn. After all, they need this in winter at the latest in order to be able to draw enough water from the very cold ground. Cypresses should therefore not be planted outdoors too late, as the plants need a lot of water even in winter and complain about their measly rootsotherwise not be able to take care of themselves.
Cypresses must not dry out
But the right time alone is not enough for the cypress trees to thrive in the garden. Rather, the plants must be protected from drying out, otherwise they will wither and die. Adequate watering is therefore a must. This is especially true in summer when temperatures are high. In addition, not only the sun and heat affect the plant. Rather, the evergreen ornamental plants can even dry out due to strong winds. If the cypresses are planted in a location with a lot of wind, it makes sense to cover the ground around the plants with bark mulch. This not only looks appealing, but also ensures that the cypresses can be prevented from drying out if they are sufficiently watered.
How to properly plant cypresses
Step 1:
When actually planting the plants in the garden, there are a few important tips to keep in mind so that nothing can go wrong. After you have found a sufficiently sheltered location for the cypress in the garden, you should put the root ball in water for a night before planting. This allows the cypresses to soak up plenty of water.
Step 2:
When digging the planting pit, the bale indicates the size of the pit. It should be twice as wide and twice as deep as the pad itself. A drainage layer is also a must for cypress trees to thrive. This can consist of the following materials:
- Blähton
- Pottery Shards
- Sand
- Gravel
This is followed by a thick layer of substrate so that the cypress feels completely comfortable. This is a mixture of compost, garden soil and animal manure that has been in storage for a while.
Step 3:
Only when you have made these preparations can you remove the root ball from the plant pot. If there is a plant net, it is sufficient if you slightly cut or loosen it. It is not necessary to completely remove the mesh.
Step 4:
Now place the cypress with its bale in the planting hole and then fill the pit with the substrate already mentioned. It also makes sense to add plenty of rock flour, horn shavings or blue grain to provide the plant with enough nutrients that are urgently needed during the growth phase.
Step 5:
Then align the cypress so that it is nice and straight and vertical.Only now should you tread down the earth to finally plant the cypress in the respective place. Of course, you also have to water the cypress sufficiently. And that until a new shoot occurs. It signals that the cypress has grown in its new location.
Step 6:
Then it's just a matter of caring for the cypress properly. You can find out how to do this correctly in our article on cypresses - tips for care.
Planting cypresses as hedges
Of course, the above instruction also applies to planting cypresses as a hedge. The ideal time for planting is and remains spring and when digging the planting pit you should ensure the soil conditions already mentioned. In addition, however, the following tips should also be heeded:
- sufficient planting distance to the border of the neighboring property (check whether there are legal regulations in your own state)
- Keep a minimum distance of 60 to 100 centimeters to the neighboring property
- Leave a distance of between 50 and around 100 centimeters between the individual cypress plants
- Plant cypress trees in a straight row without plants being too close together
Planting cypresses in tubs
Care is also required when planting cypresses in pots so that the plants can grow well. Therefore, the following tips should be heeded:
- ensure adequate drainage of gravel or expanded clay in the lower area of the bucket (this way waterlogging, which would damage the cypress, can be prevented)
- Mix humus garden soil and sand and use as substrate
- Potted cypresses need a lot of water - so choose a pot with a saucer
- Repot cypresses every two to three years at the latest
- during the growth phase, the cypresses in the pot should be fertilized regularly
- choose a large enough pot so that the cypress root system has enough space