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norway spruce (from nursery) - advice

11 years ago

hello

new york south region

last fall - 2011 i planted a 5-6' b&b Norway spruce purchased from a local nursery. the soil where it was planted is not the richest as it is mostly construction back-fill soil, however the soil for it's hole was amended as best i could.

this spring it did bud although the growth seemed delayed/retarded with respect to other trees. it received sufficient watering needed because of the brutally hot dry weather this summer. about the end of July i noticed the bottom 25% of the needles were slightly yellowing, as of this date it has not worsened or progressed that much more. the yellow needles are not dry, they are still moist.

is this an indication that the tree is dying a slow death?

any recommendations on fertilization/care going forward?

thanks

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Comments (5)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
11 years ago
If your summer was as hot and dry as mine it sounds like you have done well.

How shaded a location is thia tree in?
famartin
11 years ago
pictures help
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There is nothing in the general environment of this tree that could be a problem--not the soil or the sun, etc.. I don't know what was in the special soil you added, but if the tree was healthy last year, I am not sure why, if there were any problem with the special soil, it would not have appeared earlier. Did you give this tree any extra fertilizer? Sometimes too much--more than just a very little--can harm a newly planted Norway spruce. The only other thing I can think of would be some lawn weed-control chemical. I have no specific scientifically tested information about the harmful effects of any of these chemicals on Norway spruce, but I have suspicions based on many observations. I have discussed this in this forum with wisconsitom, a certified arborist, who is a real tree expert, and he has his doubts. But since we last discussed the issue, I have one more piece of annecdotal evidence. So, was anything like that used around this tree? --Spruce
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gw409
Original Author
11 years ago
i will try to post i pic. soon

the tree is in a area with about 5 hours of afternoon sun
wisconsitom
11 years ago
gw, this has not a thing to do with what may be presently ailing your NS, but amending backfill soil is not really necessary nor even desirable. Two things: First, doing so can cause drainage anomalies whereby the texture of the backfill soil around that new transplant differs greatly from the surrounding stuff. This can lead to the backfill stuff staying saturated too much and can even cause the opposite, the soil right around the transplant drying too quickly. And secondly, in order to successfully colonize their new homes, transplanted trees need to generate roots.....lots of roots. And it is important that these roots get on out of that little area where backfill has been placed. Making this little area too rich or friable can retard this process and even if it doesn't, there is no benefit in the long-term to this adjustment of what will eventually be but a tiny part of that tree's eventual rooting zone.

Having said all that, amending a large area (If the soil needs it or can use it) can indeed be helpful. The thing is, this could easily be an entire yard.

+oM
poaky1
11 years ago
This is a sorta old post but I just wanna add that I never get a noticeable amount of growth on any of my trees until their 2nd year in ground unless they are seed grown directly to where they will stay. That is alot like Wisconsitom said about roots needed to settle in.

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