Many a garden lover brings his cypress home with him from his Mediterranean holiday. Unfortunately, these plants die quickly because they cannot tolerate the climatic conditions in Germany. You can also grow cypresses yourself. How to grow your own cypress trees.

Cypresses are easy to propagate from cuttings

Methods of propagating cypress trees

There are two ways to grow cypress: from cuttings and from seed. Both methods take a long time and are quite complex.

Propagation via cuttings is easier and usually more successful.

Basically, it takes several years for a self-grown cypress to reach a height of one meter.

Growing cypresses from cuttings

  • Tear off side shoots (do not cut)
  • Remove leaves below
  • Trim the remaining leaves by a third
  • Cut the cuttings down to a hand's breadth
  • stick in potting soil
  • pour on
  • cover with freezer bag
  • keep bright but frost-free
  • ensure sufficient humidity

The cuttings are torn from the branch and not cut. A small piece of bark, the so-called flag, must remain on the cutting. Cuttings are harvested on a frost-free day in winter.

The humidity is maintained by putting a plastic bag over it. However, this must be aired regularly so that the cuttings do not rot or become moldy.

Growing cypress from seed

Prepare a seed tray with potting soil. Sow the seeds as thinly as possible and cover them lightly with substrate.

The seed must never dry out completely. Therefore cover the bowl with foil, which you air from time to time. Set up the vessel in a light place that is not too cool. Temperatures around ten degrees are ideal.

Plant your own cypress trees

Growing your own cypress takes a lot of time. During this time, the cuttings or young plants must be overwintered frost-free. Winter temperatures should be between five and ten degrees.

You can only plant the new cypresses outdoors after several years.

tips

Cypress trees form male and female cones on a tree. It can take two years for seeds to form in it. The cones only open when they are completely lignified or are exposed to intense heat, for example from a fire.

Category:

Trees