Hi, I don't claim to have any formal (college) education in the area of plants, but I do have some experience in that area, I have owned hundreds of plants including Spruce of all kinds. What-ever it is, it looks to me like you could have caught it in time. One of my first guesses would be a lack of water as well. I don't know how much you water, but the place they came from could've watered them once or twice a day, and they could just be balking at a possible lack of water now, (which could kill them). I have noticed browning on many of the conical evergreens that I've cared for and never had one die after I started looking after it (oddly enough, even when I didn't know right off what was wrong). Here are some of the causes of browning that come to mind for me: 1. Lack of water. I once had a job at a nursery where all I did was water their plants for 3 or 4 hours a day. 2. Transplant shock (temporary). 3. A pot-bound plant that has been ready to go in the ground for quite a while, when planting lightly slash the outer roots with a knife first, maybe 3 - 5 times. 4. Poor location, (not enough sun). 5. Spider Mites infestation, look for webs and very tiny spiders on inspection. 6. Complain to the seller, ask for a refund and if that threat don't work ask for tips to care for them. It could've been lack of care before you got them and/or when they dug them up for you they were hurried and care-less with not getting all the roots for example. Yeah, b&b or containerized can help rule out some scenarios. You may have spent lots of money for them, but its important not to get all nuts and flood them with all kinds of treatments. They ARE plants, nature should take care of them if their pointed at the sun and they get water. And remember, dead areas of a Spruce don't grow back, they can be cut out, if it recovers, it might fill in over time. p.s. These are some of the things that have worked for me. There could very well be something else at diabolical work on your Spruces. Heres kind of a progression of photos of a Leyland Cypress that I bought from Lowes a long time ago. It went from at my house (I set the pot in a kitty litter bucket to keep it from blowing over) where I didn't have anywhere to plant it, to my Mom's house where I planted it because browning was coming on, so I guessed it was outgrowing its pot, to the monster it is becoming today! I was glad that I found a home for it then, even if it is kinda considered a nuisance sterile weed by some, (my Mom loves it and thats all that matters). Well on its way to becoming a large Leyland Cypress. These last 2 photos are of a Dwarf Alberta Spruce (2 photos are of opposite angles) that I planted also at my Mom's house well over 3 years ago (after the above Leyland Cypress, but in the same yard). My Mom loves to water as you can see by the water hoses in today's photo. She waters her plants all the time and I'm sure the plants scream with glee. She hooked 2 or 3 hoses together to reach and water the Leyland Cypress (within a year after I planted it there it was growing like the national debt). That is my (then) 1 1/2 yr. old niece in the photo (she's 5 now).

What a nice tree. I need one. They become large like other Picea pungens seedlings, GreenLarry. Thought I had a graft of one, but I grafted a 'Fat Albert' I found out. 'Hoopsii' is definitely a leader of the pack. This sport of 'Hoopsii' called 'Bizon Blue' I'm interested to see a good photo of one. My graft of 'Bizon Blue' hasn't pushed yet. Supposed to be even lighter in color than a 'Hoopsii' plus it grows faster I read - Dax

put down the pruners.. and step away ... let talk about it all .... in say ... 3 to 5 years ... for a tree that can live 30 to 50 to 70 years... you are way to antsy to go after it ... BTW.. the leader.. is the one sitting at the top .. pointing straight up .. and its 4 or 5 leaning brothers ... its about 8 inches long .... you are talking about decapitating LAST YEARS LEADER ... and as far as i am concerned.. the answer is almost always... NO ... i suspect that in the 3 years or so.. the plant will figure it all out... and it.. and you ... will be very happy ... good luck ken ps:.. can you step a bit further away from those shears ....

Sester grows about 2" per year. Baby blue eyes is a good choice but may grow slightly faster than than you prefer. Montgomery is another good choice but may grow slightly slower than you prefer. May also have a slightly larger diameter/height ratio than you prefer (not by much and the ratio will decrease as the tree gets older, forms a leader, and becomes more pyramidal). Another option might be a weeper like picea pungens baby blue. While I just pointed out the negatives of each, they would all be good choices, though the sester will take a while to get big.