Basically, you don't have to cut blue cypresses at all. However, if you grow the fast-growing conifers as a hedge, you cannot avoid regular pruning. Tips for pruning blue cypress trees.
How should you prune a blue cypress?
Blue cypresses should be lightly pruned once or twice a year. Be careful not to cut into scrap wood and always wear gloves. Blue cypress hedges require at least one annual pruning, ideally after St. John's Day (June 24th).
Cutting tips
- Cut once or twice a year
- Always shorten just a little
- Cut in stages if necessary
- Never cut into old wood
- Don’t forget gloves
Avoid severe pruning. If the blue cypress has grown very tall, it is better to cut it back in stages. If pruned too hard, false cypresses take a long time to recover.
Do blue cypress trees need to be cut?
As solitary plants, blue cypresses do not need any pruning at all. Even in old age, the trees only become slightly bare on the inside if they get enough light.
However, if you have planted very tall varieties or if the tree is spreading too much, you should use scissors every now and then.
Short blue cypresses that have grown too tall in stages. Never cut into old wood, always leave a few twigs with a few needles. Otherwise the conifer will turn brown at the interfaces and will not recover from it.
Cut blue cypress hedges more often
In order for a hedge of blue cypresses to keep its shape, it needs to be pruned at least once a year.
It is best practice to cut the blue cypress in the shape of a cone or column. This means that the lower branches also get enough light.
That's why cutting after St. John's Day is advisable
Experienced gardeners always cut false cypresses after St. John's Day, i.e. June 24th. After this point, the conifers no longer sprout as much.
You usually only have to trim the hedge once a year.
Don’t forget the gloves
Blue cypresses are poisonous! Therefore, always wear gloves when carrying out all care work such as cutting, as even skin contact can damage the skin.
Do not leave the cutting lying around when pets are running around in the garden.
Tip
You should never put the branches of the blue cypress in the compost. They contain substances that interfere with the rotting of the compost. The chopped branches are suitable for mulching the soil under hedges, as this prevents weeds from emerging.