Some trees will grow next to walnuts - see link below. I planted a few acres of walnut seedlings in one area of my reforestation project and used the list to determine which trees I could mix with the walnuts. I planted a lot of oaks, redbuds, and red cedars mixed in with the walnuts to add some variety, but several others will do fine next to them as well. Another option would be to remove the walnut tres and replant the spruces. I've read the juglone lasts 2-5 yrs in the roots/soil after the tree is killed so the new trees may get off to a slow start until the juglone totally fades away. john Here is a link that might be useful: Walnut Trees

spedigrees: Limestone varies in magnesium content. If you go to your local agricultural store--I am not sure what you have up there--and ask for “high mag limestone“--crushed or pulverized--they should be able to direct you. The analysis is always posted on the bag. Dolomitic limestone is generally “high-mag,” but perhaps other types of limestone have a high magnesium content. Our soils here in the northern Shenandoah Valley are very high in magnesium, and high mag limestone underlies a good portion of our soils, and high mag limestone is readily available. And, almost all the NS in this area look very nice, in spite of our hot, dry climate. As for soil acidity--that should not be a problem for Norway spruce, unless the soil is extremely acidic, maybe in the low 4’s. At my timberland, where the soils are a bit below 5, Norway spruce does very well. I am not sure what an optimum pH would be, and it would probably vary with soil type. Maybe somewhere in the 5.5 range is "safe." As for magnesium for Norway spruce--this has been fairly well documented. I titled my original post “a hypothesis,” but there is substantial evidence. A site factors study done at SUNY Syracuse some years ago now, noted that “at least 75 kg per hectare” is needed for good NS growth. Studies in Europe, where there has been extensive decline in NS forests, has shown that the acid rain causes a reduction in the availability of magnesium, and supplementing magnesium often solves the problem. And, I have made some personal observations--not scientific, and without all the facts--that magnesium supplementation can make a dramatic difference. But, the main effect of magnesium may not be in height growth, but in the fullness, density, and lushness of the foliage. I have seen many poor looking, thin foliaged NS trees growing reasonably fast in height. Also, the thin foliage on some Norway spruce trees has causes other than a lack of an optimum supply of magnesium. And, I know, some of that is genetic, and not correctable. As for your experiment: Yes, 5 years should be long enough to show some results, but no sooner. The limestone has to dissolve into the soil, get down to the roots, and, because NS hold their needles for several years, the "thickening" of the foliage may not be vis1ble for several years. BUT, and this is a big "but," the effect may not really show up on very young trees. It may help the growth rate, but as for foliage density, that is never really noticeable until trees are somewhat older and larger--maybe not until they are 20 feet tall or more will any difference be really clear. As for the growth rate: white pine usually starts growing faster than NS. How old are your trees? How tall? NS trees don't begin to grow fast until they are about 4.5 feet high, and that could be only after 6 to 8 years. At that point, they should "take off." On the best soils, and in the right climate, an average of 28 inches is possible, with some years the new shoots elongating up to 4 feet or more. But growth averaging 20 to 24 inches is good for many sites. Norway spruce and white pine, assuming equally good strains, should grow equally well over the first 50 years. The white pine up to about 18 years should outgrow the NS, but after that NS should catch up a bit. After 50 years NS should outgrow the white pine for some years. SUNY Syracuse did a growth curves study for NS, and found that for the first 60 years--after the trees reach 4.5 feet in height, there is no "curve" as such, but a straight line. White pine growth curves bend sharply over to the right after the first 18 years or so, and at 50 years the growth averages about 1 foot, while at the same age, NS trees can still be growing 28 inches per year. But this rate does begin to decline not too long after the 60-year mark. On the best sites both should eventually make 150 feet or more in forest stands. Open grown NS should make 120 feet or more on better sites. As for the blue spruce and magnesium, I really don't know. Tom may be right about this. --spruce

I have two big old spruces in my front yard, with several hostas under them both, and I NEVER water. As a matter of fact, I deliberately planted a 1 eye Gold Standard division in the darkest, deepest corner, just to see if it'll cope on its own. Rabbit nibbles notwithstanding, it's growing just fine. Not fast, but definitely increasing year on year, and the colouring's fine. All the others are getting a little more light and probably a little more natural water - but more light means faster dessication, so it's probably all the same for the roots. I also have hostas under pines, maples, and cedars, and I NEVER water these either (my watering policy is to water herbaceous transplants for the first couple of weeks only, and trees or shrubs for the first season). I DO water those perennials that obviously wilt in the heat, like astilbes or primulas, but not hostas. This approach probably wouldn't fly south of the border, but up here in Canada hostas kept in even shade do just fine with what nature provides; "...water, water, water" would be a huge waste in our climate.

"On the street" - does that mean they may have snow piled by the plow near or against them? If so, then sticking wiht perennials would be a better idea than the spruces. Also, my spruces have had some type of issue with bud worms that kill off branch ends, which isn't a problem with my large ones as they seem to be able to outgrow the problem, but might be with a small slow-growing spruce. I'd do some research on that before planting. There are a fair number of blue or silver perennials that like sun. One of the smaller/shorter Baptisia would be nice, though I am not sure if they all have the bluish foliage of the species. There are sedums and salvias that have glaucous foliage as well as several herbs such as lavender, Nepeta, and Calamentha. There's also a short blue-gray grass whose name escapes me that might work for you here.