Green Rocket Leyland Cypress

1. Planting: Leyland Cypresses grow to heights of 25-35 feet with a canopy that can spread out to about 8 feet. If you want a taller hedge, screen or windbreak, young trees should be spaced at least 8-10 feet apart. If you're growing a hedge, a space of 4-5 feet between trees is ideal. It will take about five to seven years for the space between the trees to fill.

To plant your Green Rocket, find a spot in full sun and dig a planting hole twice the size of the root ball and as deep as the soil in the container. Center the tree in the planting hole and back fill with soil. Create a watering ring around the perimeter of the planting hole (this helps divert water to the outer roots). Mulch with at least three inches of compost or pulverized bark.

2. Watering: Water your Green Rocket Leyland Cypress with at least an inch of water per week, keeping the soil moist but not oversaturated - generally, we recommend letting a garden hose run for about 1 to 3 minutes per week, depending on your soil. The deeper you water the tree, the better the tree will grow.

If you're not sure when to water, simply check the surrounding soil about 3 inches down - if the soil is dry here, it's time to water.

3. Fertilizing: If your Leyland Cypress needs fertilizer at all, it should be fertilized with a shrub and tree fertilizer, unless a soil test shows that nutrients are low or missing. If the soil is missing or low on nutrients, use a nutrient-specific fertilizer.

4. Pruning: These trees require very little pruning. You may want to consider pruning if you are using them as a hedge; however, for the most part, they require little to no pruning.