How to Care for a Male Chinese Pistache
- 1). Prune young trees to establish a strong, well-branched structure if you have an unbranched sapling, few branches or branches clustered together in one spot. Cut off the tree's top or leader to force the development of new branches below that point.
- 2). Pick one of the new branches that develop in the following year as the new leader, or growing tip that is the tree's top, and one as a branch. Remove all other branches.
- 3). Prune off the new leader when the tree grows taller again, about 18 to 24 inches above the first cut, to force branch development there. Continue this process year after year to build a well-branched tree.
- 4). Make sure the entire root system of young trees gets one deep watering per week during the growing season, saturating the entire root system so roots grow deep. Don't irrigate if rainfall achieves this.
- 5). Apply nitrogen fertilizer in early spring in most years, at the rate of 6 lbs. per 1,000 square feet. Every third year apply an all-purpose fertilizer such as 10-10-10 instead. Fertilize in late winter before new growth begins -- so nutrients are available for the tree to use as soon as root growth begins.
- 6). Prune trees to maintain rounded or vase-like shape during the dormant winter season. Remove dead or damaged branches, crossing branches and water sprouts during dormancy or at other times during the year.
- 7). Mulch the soil above the entire root area with pine straw, dried lawn clippings or shredded leaves to help maintain soil moisture -- especially in drought areas -- and soil temperatures. Organic mulch also discourages weeds, and slowly releases nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.
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