Willow Glen Resident

Gardening

On its Own: Arizona cypress grows best in warm, sunny locations and prefers minimal irrigation once established. Several cultivars exist that vary somewhat in foliar color, trunk texture and crown shape.

Nurseries bare it all the time for winter planting season

By Tony Tomeo

Now that Christmas trees have been moved out of nurseries, the bare-root stock can be moved in. After being dug from their growing fields and separated from the soil, these deciduous fruit, nut and flower trees--plus roses, cane berries, grapes, wisterias, artichokes and rhubarbs--become available this time of year with literally bare roots. They do not mind, though, since they are in the middle of their winter dormancy. They can even be sent through the mail for mail orders or online purchases.

The most popular of bare-root stock are the deciduous stone fruit trees such as apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums and prunes. Apricot and plum hybrids such as pluots, plumcots and apriums have become quite popular in recent years. These fruit, as well as almonds, are all of the genus Prunus, and known as stone fruit because they have substantial seeds known as stones.

Apples, pears, persimmons, mulberries and nuts such as almonds, walnuts and sometimes pecans and filberts are also available. "Flowering" crabapples, pears, plums, cherries and peaches that do not produce fruit are only rarely found bare-root, but were once quite popular. Roses have always been popular bare-root, particularly from mail-order catalogs.

There are several advantages to planting dormant plants bare-root. It is obviously less expensive. Bare-root plants typically cost not much more than half of what they would cost canned (potted) during the summer. They are also much easier to get from the nursery to the garden. Even bagged in moist sawdust, they weigh only a few pounds and are not nearly as cumbersome as canned plants.

Once in the garden, bare-root plants become established sooner than canned plants because they root directly into the garden soil and are never root-bound. Canned plants sometimes need to recover from confinement if their roots have been crowded. They may also be a bit hesitant to extend roots out of the rich soil that they have been growing in, and into unfamiliar garden soil.

The best bare-root plants have firm, turgid (well-hydrated) stems and plump buds. Slight wrinkling of bark indicates dehydration. Plants that have already bloomed or leafed out are no longer dormant and very likely unhappy and distressed about waking up in transition.

Bare-root plants should be planted as soon as practical. The planting hole needs to be only as wide as the roots can be spread. The roots can either be spread flat on the bottom of a shallow planting hole, or spread out at about 45 degrees below horizontal over a cone of soil formed at the bottom of a hole. With either technique, graft unions should not be buried (most bare root stock is grafted).

If planting must be delayed, the roots should be put into a bucket of water or temporarily buried in soft, moist soil or compost until planted. Once planted, roots should be watered to soak and settle the soil. Most fruit trees should be pruned to eliminate broken, damaged or wimpy limbs, or limbs that are too high or too low. Most trees have extra growth to offer more preliminary pruning options.

Tree of the Week:
Arizona cypress

As the name implies, Arizona cypress, Cupressus arizonica, is from Arizona, so prefers warm and exposed areas. It is ideal for areas outside of refined landscapes because it needs to be watered only for the first year or two after planting, until roots are dispersed. Arizona cypress can certainly be quite happy in the garden as long as it is not shaded by larger trees or watered too generously.

The bluish green foliage is composed of small, tough scales, densely arranged on limber branches. Mature trees may be more than 15 feet wide and twice as tall. Blue Pyramid and Pyramidalis get about only half as large and have denser, bluer foliage. Gareei, with more open, silvery foliage is perhaps the most popular cultivar (variety). Smooth Arizona cypress, C. a. glabra, or simply C. glabra, has smooth reddish bark instead of the typically rough bark.

Arizona cypress does not need much attention, and is actually happier to be neglected. It can be disfigured by aggressive pruning, so should be left to develop a natural form. Too much water can rot roots.

Listen to Tony Tomeo's 'New Image Garden Report' Friday mornings at 8:10 a.m. on KSCO-1080 AM (or online at www.ksco.com). He can be reached at www.ttomeo@newimagelandscape.com or 408.358.2574.