Cypress – Turning Brown

Q: I planted five small Leyland cypress trees. One died right away. I took it back and got another one. But now the other four are turning brown. What am I doing wrong?

A: Most likely they have not been watered correctly. Another possibility is that they were transported home in an open vehicle, which can result in extremely dry foliage. Spring planting is not ideal for Leyland cypress: they have a hard time establishing roots when the top of the plant is demanding lots of water on a sunny day. That said, I’ve had good success using a watering bag (TreeGator, ArborRain, etc.) on trees planted in spring or summer. They apply water slowly for a day or two. If you fill the bag a couple of times each week the trees should have sufficient water.