How Do You Care for a Weeping Redbud Tree?
A weeping redbud tree requires minimal pruning, annual fertilization and weekly deep-root watering to thrive. These trees are hardy in zones five through nine and grow, on average, to be 10 feet tall. The weeping branches can grow long enough to touch the ground. Weeping redbuds bloom in early spring, with pink to lavender flowers covering their branches.
Prune weeping redbud trees during winter while the tree is dormant. Pruning will nurture the young branches, encouraging their growth, and will help the tree to maintain its weeping form. All dead and diseased branches need to be removed. The canopy also needs to be thinned by pruning the branches that rub or cross one another. Trim the branches that are growing upwards.
When fertilizing, use a slow-releasing nitrogen fertilizer. This will give the tree nutrients over a longer time period, reducing the frequency of fertilizing.
If the tree is healthy, do a deep-root watering once per week. If it is diseased, increase watering to two to three times per week, watering at the tree’s drip line. To achieve deep-root watering, the water needs to reach 24 to 36 inches into the soil to soak the roots; using a sprinkler or watering system and leaving it on for two hours can work well.
