Have you noticed that the cypress grows too quickly and are you wondering how and when to prune it without damaging it? Here is a simple and concrete guide to better manage this elegant and long -lived plant.
The cypress is one of the most loved ornamental trees in the Mediterranean gardens. Slendy, resistant and evergreen, it creates natural barriers and gives a touch of elegance. It grows fast, often too much, and if neglected it risks becoming a problem rather than a value. The branches stretch, the height increases and the plant loses that compact shape that makes it so fascinating. Some notice too late that the cypress took over the rest of the garden.
Precisely for this reason, it is useful to know that you can intervene already with small practical gestures, without distorting anything. It is thought that expert skills are needed, but often patience, good timing and some simple tricks are enough. A pruning made at the right time can really make a difference.
Does the cypress grow too much? When to prune it: the right time makes the difference
We tend to think that all the trees should be pruned in winter, but it is not always the case. For the cypress, the ideal season is the end of summer or the beginning of springavoiding too cold or too hot periods. Why these moments? In the spring the plant starts to grow, therefore light pruning promotes an orderly form. At the end of the summer, however, you can intervene for contain the height and correct any deformations caused by the wind or disordered growth.
There are those who advise to avoid drastic pruning: the cypress does not react well to excessive cuts, especially if you touch the dry internal part. In this case, the plant may not recover or show unsightly brown areas. It is therefore better to act delicately, cutting only the outer and green branches, leaving the heart of the plant intact. This approach maintains the health of the tree and retains its compact and harmonious aspect.
Tools, techniques and precautions useful for pruning
It is not enough to know whenit is also essential to know come prune. First of all are needed well sharpened and clean tools: Cesoie, Truncarami or a saw, depending on the size of the branches.
Here are some practical indications:
- Always cut diagonallynever horizontally, to facilitate the healing of the branch.
- Do not cut too close to the trunk: always leave a few centimeters so as not to hurt the main structure.
- Follow the natural form of the cypress, avoiding too geometric or artificial silhouettes.
- Do not exceed a third of the hair In one intervention: too intense pruning weakens the plant.
Another precious advice is to observe the plant in the following days: if dry or brown areas appear, it means that the cut was too invasive. In that case, it is better to wait at least a year before intervening again.
Cypress too high or inclined? Here’s what to do
It often happens: the cypress grows too much in height, exceeds 6-7 meters and begins to bend for the wind or the weight of the branches. Here the solutions must be evaluated on a case -by -case basis.
If the tree is not too old, you can proceed with one apex containment pruningthat is, the cutting of the highest tip, to stimulate lateral growth and slow down the vertical rise. ATTENTION: the top should not be completely cut, but only acknowledgment With criteria.
Alternatively, for very inclined cypresses, they are used tutor or tie rods to gradually straighten the trunk. But it is a solution that requires time and constancy, to be reserved for cases where the plant still has strong roots and a good structure.
What if the cypress is located too close to walls, fences or other plants? In these cases it is better to reduce the volume of the side hair, pruning selectively only where it is needed.
Thus it is prevented that the roots expand too much or that the tree becomes a threat to the stability of the nearby structures.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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