Garden Tips – Cypress grow in wet, swampy or marshy locations

Cypress wood has been used extensively for building, and the felling and lumbering of the trees a profitable business. Cypress trees are grown in plantations for wood and mulch and still are harvested from the wild.

Bald cypress usually is found in wet, swampy or marshy locations. Their roots are adapted to grow in low-oxygen soils. However, if watered well during the first year of transplant, cypress trees are beautiful in the landscape. They are slow-growing, pest-resistant and have a striking form and fall leaf color.

Organic mulches are good things around trees and in landscape beds. There is a popular notion that mulch made from cypress trees is resistant to rot and repels bugs. Research has proved this to be untrue; cypress is no longer-lasting or insect-repelling than other wood mulches. Unfortunately, many cypress trees still are harvested from the wild to be chipped into mulch for landscapes.

Mulch from recycled sources such as backyard chippers or municipal yard waste collection programs usually is a good bet. It is good for the environment because some waste is diverted from landfills, extending their lives. Fresh mulch should be allowed to go through an aging process where heat builds up in the pile to destroy pest.

Mulch, when applied properly, suppresses weeds, moderates soil temperatures — keeping plant roots cool on hot days and warm on cool nights and conserves water. Apply organic mulch so that it never piles against trunks, stems or structures — no mulch volcanoes — and reapply every six to 12 months to maintain a layer 3 to 6 inches deep.

Source: TCpalm