Content

• Steps

The canopy is a coniferous species native to the Norfolk Island between Australia and New Zealand in the Pacific. Although not a pine tree, the cypress tree looks very much like a pine tree and is often used for decoration like a Christmas tree. In the wild, this plant can reach as high as 60m. The canopy tree is also great indoors and can grow to 1.5m - 2.4m tall. The secret to taking care of this plant is to provide plenty of moisture, indirect light from the sun and maintain the right temperature.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Provide plant nutrition

1. 

   Plant your plants on the right soil. In the wild, cypress trees grow in sandy soils and are slightly acidic. This means they need well-drained soil. You can mix the following ingredients in equal proportions:
   • Potted soil
   • Peat moss
   • Sand

2. 

   
   
   Maintain mild moisture in the soil. The cypress tree prefers evenly moist soil, similar to the moisture of a squeezed sponge that is only slightly damp but not wet or soggy. Before watering, test the moisture by pricking the soil with your finger.If you find that the 2.5 cm layer of the top layer is dry, pour lukewarm water into the soil until it runs through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
   • Allow excess water to run through the drainage hole into the drain pan below the basin. Fill the dish with water when it stops running.
   • Even if it only happens once, severe dehydration can cause the branches and leaves of a plant to dry out, fall off and never regrow.

3. 

   
   
   Make sure the plant gets plenty of indirect sunlight. Cypress trees need long sunlight each day, but they do not like direct sunlight. A good location for the plant is in a room with lots of northeast or northwest windows.
   • You can also place the plant in a room with south or west windows, but should have a shade to protect the plant from direct sunlight.
   • Other locations that are great for the canopy are the solarium and a covered patio.

4. 

   
   
   Apply fertilizer throughout the growing season. In spring, summer, and early fall, fertilize the juniper with a balanced fertilizer every 2 weeks. When your plants need watering, you can mix a little liquid fertilizer with the water and fertilize the plant.
   • A balanced fertilizer is one with equal nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content.
   • The canopy does not require fertilizer during hibernation in late fall and throughout winter.
   • To see when the plant is growing again, look for new, light green shoots on the tip of the branch in spring.
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Part 2 of 4: Planting a healthy cypress tree

1. 

   Rotate plants often. Like a sunflower always facing the sun, a cypress tree will either follow or fall toward the light source. To prevent uneven and skewed plants, rotate the pot once a week.
   • Do not push the tree too hard when potting, as the cypress does not like being moved.

2. 

   Maintain the right temperature. This plant does not like extreme temperatures and will not survive when the temperature is lower than 2 degrees C or higher than 24 degrees C too much. Ideal daytime temperature for plants would be around 16 degrees Celsius, and nighttime temperatures would be a little cooler, around 13 degrees Celsius.
   • Although preferring cooler nighttime temperatures, the canopy does not like sudden temperature changes. A shaded corner in a solarium would be a good spot for plants, as the nighttime temperatures will naturally drop as the sun sets.

3. 

   Provide additional moisture to the plant. In their natural environment, canopy grows in tropical coastal areas, meaning they like moist air. The ideal humidity for plants is 50%. You can maintain this humidity by misting plants daily with room temperature water, or by using a humidifier.
   • Providing additional moisture to your plant is especially important if you live in a cold, dry climate.

4. 

   Sand threads remove dead foliage or turn brown. This plant does not need any form pruning. Simply remove dead branches or brown tips. Use sharp pruning pincers to prune dead leaves.
   • When pruning cypress trees, you also prevent branches from sprouting at the point where they were cut. Instead of stimulating the plant to grow new shoots, pruning will force the plant to grow in a different location, which will change the shape of the plant.
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Part 3 of 4: Choose an ideal location

1. 

   Avoid placing plants in drafts. Hot or cold air also deflects trees, so choose a location away from the inlets, fans and heater or air vents.
   • You should also keep plants away from drafts and windows at a safe distance.

2. 

   Avoid moving trees. The root system of the cypress tree is fragile and vulnerable when the plant is moved. Do not move the plant unless absolutely necessary, and once you have chosen an ideal place for a lush plant to grow, leave it there for as long as possible.
   • If you do have to move the tree away, be very careful and only move it in short increments.
   • Find a location where the tree will not accidentally move, collide, roll over, or shove.

3. 

   Repot the plant every few years. You should repot the plant every three to four years in the spring, when the roots are coming out of the ground. Prepare a new pot by filling the pot half full with a mixture of soil, sand, and peat moss. Carefully dig the plant out of the old pot and place it in the new pot on the ground. Fill the rest of the pot with soil and cover the roots.
   • Each time you repot a pot, choose a pot that is larger than the old one.
   • The pot must have a drainage hole at the bottom to allow excess water to drain out of the pot.
   • Although the cypress plant does not like to be moved, it is still necessary to repot the plant from time to time and provide new soil to allow the root system to develop.
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Part 4 of 4: Handling common problems

1. 

   Reduce watering if the branches are droopy and yellowed. Cypress plants like moist soil, but they are not very resistant to wet soil. If you notice that the branches begin to droop or begin to turn yellow, reduce the frequency of watering.
   • You only need to water the plant when the top layer of soil is 2.5 cm dry.
   • Yellow leaves may drop if you water too much.

2. 

   Adjust watering if the leaves turn yellow. Yellow leaves (without droopy branches) may be a sign that you are not getting enough water. Water the plants when the soil dries out and provide extra moisture.
   • You can increase moisture by misting the plant every day.

3. 

   Provide more light if the lower branches turn brown. Look for low branches that are turning brown and falling off easily. This is a sign that the plant is not getting enough light. You should move the plant closer to a northeast or northwestern window, a screened window in the south or west, or near a solarium.
   • The canopy needs a lot of indirect sunlight.
   • If you are unable to provide natural light for your plants, you can use a full-spectrum bulb designed specifically for plants.

4. 

   Adjust the humidity if the leaves are droopy. Drooping leaves without changing color can be a sign of a number of problems, including too high or too low humidity. Usually this indicates that the humidity is too low. Water more often if you water less often and find the soil is dry. Water less if the soil is damp and water your plants often.
   • Dropping can also indicate that the plant is too close to the wind.
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