Mock cypresses are evergreen, resistant to diseases and fast-growing. They are therefore very popular with gardeners as hedges or individual plants. If you keep the cypresses as a hedge, you have to cut them regularly, otherwise they will not fulfill their function as a privacy screen for long.
When and how do I prune a false cypress?
A false cypress can be pruned all year round, ideally the first pruning takes place in spring and the second in early autumn. Avoid cutting into old wood and always leave a small shoot with needles. Cutting waste should not be thrown into the compost.
Do false cypresses always have to be cut?
If you have a lot of space in the garden, you can simply let the false cypress grow. In a sunny location without many neighbors, the conifer doesn't go bald at the bottom as quickly because it gets enough light.
It's different if you want to grow false cypresses as a hedge or bonsai. Then you can't avoid regular pruning.
If you don't cut back dense or shady cypress trees once or twice each year, they will shoot up. The lower part then doesn't get enough light, turns brown and is no longer opaque.
The best time to prune cypress trees
You can theoretically cut false cypresses all year round, even in winter when it isn't freezing.
When pruning twice, the first is usually in spring and the second in early autumn.
How you cut the false cypress into shape is up to you. Columnar shapes have proven particularly useful when planting hedges. But you can also cultivate the easy-cutting conifers as a bonsai.
Never cut into old wood
- Remove shoot tips
- Cut dry or discolored shoots
- Cut cypress trees that are too tall
Be sure to avoid cutting into scrap wood. The conifer does not sprout again in damaged areas.
Always leave a small piece of the shoot with a few needles on it.
Do not throw trimmings into the compost
Cypress trees contain essential oils that prevent rotting in the compost heap. Therefore, dispose of the cuttings with household waste.
Another option is to chop up the remains and distribute them as mulch under the false cypresses.
But be careful: Do not leave any trimmings of the poisonous cypress in the garden when children and pets are in it.
Tip
Many experienced gardeners do not cut false cypresses in spring, but only after St. John's Day. This is June 24th. After this point, the false cypress no longer grows as much and stays in shape longer.
