FYIs: - A fully mature cypress can grow 20 to 30 feet tall.
- Three- to five-foot cypresses come in five-gallon containers; five- to six-footers come in 10-gallon containers.
- Putting soap under your fingernails before planting prevents dirty nails.
Here are a couple of helpful hints for tree planting: - Place trees in holes and refill with soil (figure A).
- Dig a basin around the base of each tree to concentrate water over the rootball (figure B); water thoroughly (figure C).
Expert tips: - In most cases, you should plant as big as you can afford. When a plant is under stress (as it is when it's being transplanted), the more plant there is to deal with the stress, the better. The only reason to go with a smaller plant is if you have a fine-rooted or a taprooted annual that needs to start from a very small plant.
- Having a tough time digging in hard soil? A 14-prong pry bar can help: Hold it over the spot where you're digging and just drop it, prong first, into the soil. The bar is very heavy, and you'll be using its own weight to help you break through the ground. (Remember: Gravity isn't just a good idea -- it's the law!)
- Planting too deep (probably the leading cause of plant mortality) results in plants that yellow at first. Then they look as if they're wilting, so you give them more water (when in fact they don't want any). Very soon the plant will die from overwatering.
- Water generously over the rootball -- you can't overdo it!
RESOURCES :
Plants from Monrovia Growers
Monrovia Growers
Website: www.monrovia.com
Plants from Ball Horticultural Company
Various plant material
Ball Horticulture Company
Website: www.simplybeautifulgardens.com
GUESTS :
Frank McDonough
E-mail: frank.mcdonough@arboretum.org
Website: www.arboretum.org
Robert Smaus
Gardening expert and author
Website: bobsgardenpath.com
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