Cypress Care Guide

Indoors: Bright direct light for 6-8 hours. Outdoors: full sun in Zones 7-10.

Water when the top 2 inches of soil is dry.

Spritz regularly and keep on top of a pebble tray filled with water.

Keep temperatures in the low 60's inside the house in the winter months to prevent browning leaves.

Outdoors in full sun (6-8 hrs.), where nights are above 5°F.

Indoors: in bright sunlight on a southern exposure all day. Keep indoor temperatures below 60°F and humid in the winter months.

Interior: Apply a balanced, liquid fertilizer especially formulated for indoor plants every month during the growing season. Exterior: Add a 20-20-20 granular slow release fertilizer to the top surface. When they are watered, the nutrients will release into the soil. Fertilize throughout the growing season and refrain in the winter.

When receiving the Lemon Mini Cypress tree, do not repot immediately but wait at least 6-12 months. Repot in the spring, using a 2" bigger pot to keep the roots drier. (Too big of a planter could cause the soil to dry slower, which is not helpful.)

Hydrate the plant before repotting.

Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow to drain.

Use a well-draining potting mix to repot when the plant becomes root-bound.

Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen.

Inspect the roots. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners.

Ensure the plant is sitting about 1 inch below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over.

Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil.

Water well to dampen the soil and let drain.

Prune or shape up your Lemon Mini Cypress with sharp, sterilized pruners in the growing season. Trim off unwanted growth or to add bushiness to your tree with branching. Be aware that where you trim, the edges will turn brown. This browning is expected but will quickly cover-up by new growth that emerges. Clean up any debris on the soil surface and replenish soil when needed.

Take cuttings from healthy young stems and cut about 6 inches down the stem. Cut right below the leaf node and strip away the leaves on two sets of nodes. Dip the tip of the stem into a rooting hormone and set them into a damp propagation mix. Water to keep the mixture moist but not soggy. Keep the cuttings in bright, sunny light out of breezes. The warmer the weather, the faster the roots will grow. After eight weeks, a stable root system should be developing. Transplant these cuttings into an organic well-draining potting mix. Add a slow-release fertilizer and continue to let them grow. Once a healthy root system is created, transplant out into the landscape or into a planter.