Question
I just read your response on another persons posted question in which you provided a pdf document on the trees - how would I go about determining if my trees have root rot (if I've been over watering)....if they do have root rot is there anything you can do about it?  How often and how much should I water my trees?  BTW I live in the Dallas Fort Worth area (so we have an automated watering system set up with zones on a timer).  Thanks!

Answer
I would water once a week with 1 inch of water-place a pan under the tree and turn the water on and when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. Mulch around the tree with 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. This will help hold moisture around the tree. Do not over water. If the soil around the tree is moist or if it rains do not water.


The mites and bagworms IF present can be controlled with insecticides. Spider mites also attack pines, junipers, arborvitae and pyracantha. They especially go for water-stressed cypress. Mites love dry, hot weather. They are not insects, but related to spiders, so insecticides aren't effective. Use a chemical formulated for mite control and follow the instructions. Check with your local garden type store for an insecticide for mite control.

You also can control mites by hosing them weekly with a strong spray of water. A few years back, a reader said high humidity will eliminate spider mites. Wet the foliage with water each night for a week to 10 days. On calm nights, this will give high humidity for most of the night. The reader said he used it on a hedge of tall Italian cypress and it ended his spider mite problem.

As for the regular care of Italian cypress, water deeply because it is not drought-tolerant. During the summer, water every seven to 10 days. During the cooler months, when there is no rain, water every three weeks

Bagworms

If only a few small trees or shrubs are infested, picking the bags off by hand and disposing of them may afford satisfactory control. This approach is most effective during fall, winter or early spring before the eggs have hatched.

Several products are available for homeowner and professional use. For homeowners, conventional insecticides such as Sevin, Dursban, diazinon, and malathion, or the microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) provide satisfactory results. The BT products have very low mammalian toxicities, but are only effective against younger larvae. If large bagworms are present (more than about 3/4-inch long), a conventional insecticide probably will provide better results. For nursery and landscape professionals, other effective products include Astro, Decathlon, Ficam, Mavrik, Orthene, Pounce, Scimitar, Talstar and Tempo. Foliage should be throughly wetted with the insecticide spray in order to achieve thorough coverage.