It's quite normal: I have had the same experience. From now on they start working on their root-systems till late autumn. You will have to wait till next late spring before they will grow in height again.
In case you want to push next years' growth a bit, you can try to give it a little organic nitrogen in late april/may, but you have to be very carefull and not give them too much.

conifers.. for the most part.. extend buds in the spring.. and thats it for the year... only a few continue to grow and rebud in summer.. like the picea glauca group ...

this is startling on babes ... which just put up a puff of needles.. and that is it for the first year ... ken

Thank you so much for the info - I'm relieved!
Can you tell me; will it be better to leave the seedlings outdoors for the winter, or bring them in?

Hi cran64. Sounds like your blue spruce seedlings are doing very well. First year seedlings about 1 to 2 inches tall is normal for many conifers. As the replies above have stated, your seedlings will now be focusing their energy on root building for the remainder of the year, getting ready for next spring. You will probably see some tiny brown buds on your seedlings. That's where next year's growth will typically start.

I have several 2 year old blue spruce and concolor fir seedlings. They have just finished their seasonal above ground growth and are forming their buds for next season. The spruces were about 1.5 inches last year and are now about 4 inches tall. The concolors are a bit larger. Like yours, my spruces and firs are now expanding their roots and setting terminal buds, getting ready for next spring.

As for winter, here in Michigan I leave my seedlings outside all winter. Typically I bury the pots in a shallow trench and pile the soil and leaves around the pots. Mine are in a sheltered location (behind a garage) that blocks out the severe western winter winds. I have heard of people moving the seedlings inside unheated garages or other cold structures as well. If you do this, keep in mind that your seedlings will need some moisture over the winter.

HTH,

Dave

mother earth can take care of your babes.. just fine...

once you start 'thinking' about your options ... you add layer upon layer of variables that you can NOT master ....

conifers are NOT house plants .. ergo .. leave them in mother earth ...

they don't care about cold... snow.. anything.. until you start messing with them ... the best would be if they are covered with snow for the entire winter ...

after that... temperature fluctuations can kill them ... sunny and warm one day ... freezing winds the next ... so if you can mulch them.. to even it all out.. it would be better ...

the only thing left would be vermin .... if you get to fancy you may call mice to the party ...

i would repot them to native soil .... too many variables with potting mix and winter ... in mid September ... when we start getting cool nights ... recovery time for those roots ... and then in mid October .. pot an all into the ground ... maybe some chicken wire if rodents might attack .. and apply some good mulch .. but don't crush them over winter ... maybe a furrow .. with mounds of mulch on each side to reduce winter winds ... higher on the south side to shade from those bizarre hot thaws in the winter ... keep them out of direct sun ..

i would put a stake or two .. so that you avoid stepping on them ...

i have used old Styrofoam rose cones without tops in such situations to protect such stock .. but i have 100 of them hanging in the barn .... free!!! .. i don't know if i would bother if i had to pay for them ....

the goal is to get them dormant.. and keep them dormant ... thaw in in mid winter is not good ...

since you have more than one.. you might try different approaches to experiment ....

good luck

ken

An idea for you going off of a lot of Kens information and what I've learned about dormancy requirements for "any" woody shrub is that the plants only need 30 days of temperatures below 50F (that's 10C) and then they can be brought into a greenhouse/basement or anywhere with adequate amounts of light - and then you are good to go.

I'm learning bonsai right now and this information was supplied by a video (which is very informative by the way as well as modern) called: Bonsai Almanac Video Series Volume One "Thriving Bonsai".

I got it as a gift from Amazon.com but the video case lists: www.bonsaietc.com

It's worth buying >

Dax