How to Water Italian Cypress Trees

Overview

The Italian cypress, the proud, plume-like evergreens that are popular landscaping trees, are relatively easy to care for. They are generally drought tolerant, but regular watering is crucial to the tree's long-term health, particularly during the first two years of its life.

Step 1

Turn the hose on and water thoroughly around the tree, using a circular motion. If you recently planted the tree, the roots are still congregated around the root ball, so water close to the trunk. For established trees, water under the tree canopy and stay at least a foot away from the trunk to minimize the risk of root rot.

Step 2

After watering, let the water soak into the ground. With your finger, check the soil. The soil should be moist to a depth of 1 inch. Surface watering is good for a tree because most of a tree's absorbing roots are in the top foot of soil.

Step 3

Water thoroughly two or three times a week, depending on weather conditions. If you're in a dry spell, water more frequently. A good rule of thumb is to perform the "finger check," outlined in Step 2, each day to make sure there's enough moisture in the ground.