| what is the best way to care for newly planted italian cypress in terms of soil ammendments,watering and staking for zone 8? we have everything from straight caliche to clay.... |
| Jackie, They need little if any soil amending. An inch or two of compost mixed in is fine but usually not needed in decent soil conditions. That caliche is going to be a tough one for most plants to thrive in. Take care when digging the planting hole not to leave a slick sided hole as the glazed sides a shovel can create can become an "underground bathtub" that holds water creating soggy conditions and preventing roots from venturing outside the planting hole. Don't add compost to the planting hole. Use the soil from the site. Water as needed to keep the soil moist but not soggy during the first few months after planting and especially during the first summer. After the plant has a year or so to establish you can back off the watering to once or week for a few months and then just occasionally during extended dry spells. No staking is needed or recommended. Thanks for the question. Please stop in again soon! |
