How do you water? How long? and how often?

Often recently planted trees dry out before they can establish a root system. The key is to apply water directly to the rootball.

You can determine if the roots are established by grasping the tree at chest height, then rock the trunk back and forth while watching the soil at the base of the trunk.

If the soil moves, even the least little bit, the tree isn't rooted in.

So start watering directly to the region of the rootball. A drizzling hose, 5 minutes every day or two, works.

This is a very typical problem and has come up a lot lately. I think this type of deterioration of a newly installed tree is most often a product of having a poorly grown product and /or having it improperly installed.

Mulching a newly planted tree is really important. But you need to do it right. More often the worst possible practice is used.

A wide (several feet) circular mound of mulch should be built around the planting area to try to create a well around the rootball so that more water will penetrate around the roots - before it drains away. That's a good idea in my opinion. But the exact opposite is more commonly used.

There is no reason to mound up mulch right up to the trunk, like a giant anthill. I see landscapers do this all the time. I cannot imagine what purpose it serves. In fact, it's probably much, much worse than not mulching at all.

Mulches (or soil) shouldn't ever touch the trunk of a tree!! They defintely should not touch 12 inches of trunk in a weird volcano shape. Tree trunks are not supposed to be suffocated or wet. That shold be common sense. Trees do not grow like that in nature.

Trees should be installed so that you can see the trunk flare out right at the soil line.

When fresh bark (the most common mulch) dries, it sheds water, it certainly doesn't direct it to the roots of the newly planted tree. A volcano of mulch will only keep water from getting where a newly planted tree's roots are.

When I see trees mulched this way in shopping center parking lots, I'll sometimes kick the mulch away into the street to help out the idiot landscape company and prevent the needless death of a tree.

No "professional" (for money) landscape work in my area is ever done "professionally" (in a responsible, workmanlike manner according to certain standards). People forget the word "profressional" is supposed to imply that certain standards are observed. When neighbors ask me about good nurseries or landscapers I can't tell them anything. No one does better work here than I do in my spare time as a hobby.

I've said it before - but growing plants is a race to the bottom, lowest common denominator business -- and planting and selling them is too often the province of illegal immigrants who don't speak English, more less know the best practices of their trade. I'm not disparaging people who are just trying to earn an honest buck - but just pointing out they generally don't do their job well.

What's worse is that people look to nurseries and landscape companies for advice - and both generally have very low standards and knowledge - at least at the employee level. Just my opinion.

I'd suspect if it has turned all or mostly brown, it's already too late to save it. Can you post a photo?

Resin

thanks to those of you who have responded
my tree was planted 14 months ago and it is between 4 other Italian Cypress planted at the same time
these other 4 trees look great
is 14 months still considered newly planted and if the other 4 trees look great/mulched the same way, could watering still be the issue?
we have pop up sprayers in our yard that go off every other day for 20 minutes and we hose soak each tree for 5 minutes a couple of times/week
thanks again for the help
will try to post a picture tomorrow

Yes, 14 months is still newly planted. I extended that and call it "recently planted" which, in my experience, can extend to 3 years.

To know if the sprinklers are doing what's needed, check the soil of the original rootball. Is it dry?

Beyond that, as was said, "this type of deterioration of a newly installed tree is most often a product of having a poorly grown product and /or having it improperly installed."

Far too often, trees and shrubs are rootbound at the liner stage. But that's never obvious until you dig up the dead tree/shrub, then wash off the soil to take a look-see.

Hello,
I planted a 5 foot container grown Italian Cypress 11 months ago and the plant feels well rooted in and is growing actively (fresh green growth on leader and side shoots)If your 4 other trees are growing actively,I should go and see my plant supplier and ask him or her for a replacement or refund.Seems fair enough,no?

if my tree is rootbound and dry, other than making sure it is getting enough water, it their anything else I can do at this point for a rootbound/improperly planted rootball or is game over?
thanks for your help

No.

And don't be tempted to fertilize. That will just use up resources the tree needs n order to establish a root system.

i have 5 cypress trees three are browning on the sunny side
what can i do to help my trees out