Expert: Jim Hyland - 2/11/2007

Question
I purchased 15 potted 6" holiday Italian Cypress trees after X-mas and planted them in my yard (Dover, De.) as a border about 3 weeks before freezing temperatures. They are heavily mulched.  I water them about 1 time/week everytime daytime temperature is above freezing.  The foliage has turned brown.  Will they survive the winter?

Answer
I see two main problems--
1.Most plants should be planted in the spring after the last frost--this gives them a good root system before winter.
2. De. is on the very edge of the Hardiness zone for Italian Cypress (7-8) is the lowest zone--De. is a 6-7 zone.
These reasons and usually plants go into shock during planting and since the roots were not well established before the winter low temperature the browning is the shock. The only thing you can do is keep the watering you are doing and wait until spring to see IF any of them make it. Sorry!