new Weeping Norway Spruce struggling - advice?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi!

I just planted a new weeping norway spruce about 3 weeks ago, and many of its needles are turning brown. I read that some browning underneath is normal, but I'm not entirely clear what constitutes "underneath" and how much is normal.

I've been watering it for about a half hour every day with a small stream of water as directed by the greenhouse. I'm a bit concerned that the spot we've chosen does not get a lot of sun, though I'm not sure where else I can put it on our property that would...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

plantkiller_il_5
6 years ago
every day watering,,,WAY too much,,,heat of summer _ maybe

how is your drainage,,,if you planted too deeply , it will be a goner

once a week now until freeze is fine

ron
Embothrium
6 years ago
Looks and sounds like you are not watering the entire root area. Also your new specimen should be mulched.
Related Discussions
Norway Spruce Struggling
Q
Comments (6)
On this general subject, most of the Picea pungens, P. abies, and whatever else is scattered about, look better than they have in years around here. This following an extremely cold winter. I have no idea whether or not the two circumstances are related. But take P. pungens for example: In the last few years, between foliar blights, cytospora canker, and whatever other maladies seemed to be afflicting this tree, it really looked terrible more often than not. This year, there appears to be a rather amazing degree of recovery taking place. Norway spruce, just generally being a more fit species for most of the E. half of the US, never looked as bad, but certain individuals certainly were ragged. Now this year, even these seem to be improved. We've had copious rainfall and of course, that has helped immensely. But last year was very wet also, and the improvement was not yet so obvious as it is now. Sorry OP, I guess I like talking about spruce! +oM
...See More
Weeping norway spruce struggling
Q
Comments (7)
Winter was fairly typical of Utah...nothing out of the ordinary, but the tree was doing great this spring. A plethora of soft new buds like the previous year and it was looking great up until a few weeks ago. On the back side of the tree the new buds are still unaffected by whatever is bothering this tree, but I do see a few branches starting to brown on the back side (just hasn't started dropping needles like the front side yet), so maybe the whole thing is a goner. The shallow roots can only be from this tree, there isn't anything else close by ,except for a couple of hostas. Again though, this tree has been in the ground and doing great for almost 3 years. It had new growth last spring and new growth this spring. Looked good until a month ago. I didn't change watering habits but have read on other threads that watering can be an issue so I was hoping it would an easy fix...the shallow roots made me scratch my head so I'm thinking there is something amiss there or possibly a disease. I realize it is dying and am hoping for some suggestions to help me pinpoint the problem. Not sure where to turn. I'm not sure what Dave means by a bad dig? Are you saying that I possibly damaged the feeder roots when I dug around the tree to check moisture levels or that it was planted wrong a few years ago? Thanks for the input. I really do appreciate it! Hope I can save this little tree!
...See More
Placement of Weeping Norway Spruce, Dwarf Bald Cypress, Crabapple?
Q
Comments (0)
Hi there, This is my first time writing for landscape design, so I hope I'm in the right place! I just had a fence installed a few months ago, and finally getting around to making a bed in the last bit that was empty. I purchased: 1 Lollipop Crabapple tree 1 Weeping Norway Spruce 1 Dwarf Bald Cypress I just planted the weeping spruce and the crabapple tonight, so I'm able to easily move them. I have to adjust them anyway because they were planted a bit high, but it was getting late and wanted to get them in the ground. Now for the help. I originally thought to put the lollipop crabapple tree in the corner because I know "eventually" it can get 10x10 feet. Does anyone have one and have an opinion on that? I read you can trim them, but not sure how much you can trim without hurting the tree. I do want it to grow, but it is very small right now. I just took out an ornamental pear tree from that spot that I planted last year because it had a disease, unfortunately. It was tall and went over the fence. Now I am staring at this little guy, and it seems off! haha I know it is quite bare, even when these get planted, but I am just not happy with it. Would anyone care to share their opinion? A few options I thought - remove crabapple and find another spot for him. Maybe put him down near where I have the cypress hanging out. Move Weeping Norway to spot the crabapple is, maybe put some rocks near him so the branches can cascade over rocks? We don't have the biggest space, so we tend to purchase unique trees/shrubs and don't follow must rules when it comes to gardening. We tend to like more of the rock garden/japanese inspired designs. We like things that look unique, and I purchased the crabapple mainly for the birds. Any advice I would dearly appreciate! :) Thank you! Here is a better picture of the space - even though I did more and extended the bed down (past the weeping spruce) - I am replacing the boxwoods along the chainlink with a elderberry tower to give more privacy. This is when the ornamental pear was in place. I really miss it, but it has pear rust and it gets very bad late summer - and I noticed the tree has weakened this year :( Would rather remove it while it's small and not have to deal with it later.
...See More
To prune or not to prune...that is the question: weeping norway spruce
Q
Comments (7)
I have a 10 ft high weeping norway spruce and support it to grow straight up. I plan to cut the leader off one year and let it cascade down via several side branches. That tree I once cut the leader off when 7 ft tall, but then decided to continue to let it grow taller. So I bent up a side branch at the top, tied it to a stick of bamboo, and it continued growing straight up, making that side branch its new leader. You could do it too, after cutting off the top hanging over.
...See More
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
I read that some browning underneath is normal

==>> what you should have read was that INTERIOR yellowing and browning is normal ... it is cyclical .. increased by stress ... like planting... weather.. etc ...

no evergreen of any kind.. holds its leaves/needles forever .. and its the older one that fall off.. and are from a few years back.. and as the plant grew out... they are interior ... though it may be hard to see such with this form of plant ...

the sun issue is irrelevant ... mine was in sun.. and now its in a lot of bright shade ...

what is your base soil.. have you ever perked it ... how does it drain??

what catches my eye ... is why there is grass under the plant.. how big a hole did you dig ... exactly the size of the pot??? or BB??? ... did you do any root untangling or surgery???

see link about proper watering ... and many other issues ...

including proper planting time.. which you hit spot on ... and in tree time.. you have all fall to fix stuff ...

btw... welcome to the forums... but plz go back to your members page.. and add your location.. or you will be asked in every post ...

double btw.. where are you .. lol ... [note that plantkiller speaks of freeze ... does it freeze for you?... does the soil freeze solid???]

finally .. insert finger and find out when the soil is drying an inch or two down .. and ONLY water.. when the soil needs watering .. it is all dependent on your soil.. not some random schedule .... nor can we tell you how it works in your soil ....

finally ... just moving it from one place to your place.. with this big a plant.. can cause damage .... nbd usually ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
barkandhiss
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone!

Yeah, I've just been leaving a hose at the base of the trunk. Will try to spread the water around a bit. Will also add mulch.

I as instructed by the salesperson and dug a hole 50% bigger than the pot and filled the extra space with 50/50 bagged soil and the soil dug out. I did not bury it too deep I don't believe. I tried to break apart the roots a bit but didn't do too much as it seemed rather forceful pulling them apart....

The spot does drain well, though I don't know much else about the soil.
stuartlawrence (7b L.I. NY)
6 years ago
Sunlight is not the issue because Weeping Norway Spruce can handle shade. The tree may not survive long term if it was planted too deep. When planting, the top of the tree's root ball should be even or slightly higher than the surround soil. Watering every day is too much. Watering twice a week should should be sufficient for the first month on newly planted tree's to overcome transplant shock. Then you water the tree when the soil dries out, this could be once a week or sooner. Ammending the soil is not usually recommended, your backyard soil should be fine as is.
Embothrium
6 years ago
More to the point amending of planting hole back-fill for anything bigger than annual or vegetable transplants is actually often detrimental.
plantkiller_il_5
6 years ago
ken said everything I was trying to say,,,but I type too slow

new Weeping Norway Spruce struggling - advice?

Comments (7)

plantkiller_il_5

Embothrium

Related Discussions

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

barkandhiss
Original Author

stuartlawrence (7b L.I. NY)

Embothrium

plantkiller_il_5

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

new Weeping Norway Spruce struggling - advice?

Comments (7)

plantkiller_il_5

Embothrium

Related Discussions

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

barkandhissOriginal Author

stuartlawrence (7b L.I. NY)

Embothrium

plantkiller_il_5

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

barkandhiss
Original Author