While I'm at it, I also wonder what is watering protocol for dwarf conifers remaining in their pots thru winter? We have a whole week that will stay below freezing and I have no idea when this was last watered... plus being as it's from the big box, I assume its fairly rootbound and hasn't been retaining water for a while...

Take it back to the store.

Darnit, I knew it was too good to be true. Thank you for answering!!

I also wonder how this Rocky Mountain species might do in your eastern climate anyway. From Maryland Cooperative Extension:

"Cytospora or Leucostoma canker is one of the most damaging diseases of Colorado blue spruce, Picea pungens, in the landscape."

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/cytospora-canker-spruce

What, do you mean how a dwarf globe blue spruce would do? They’re all over the place here, I have another as well. Very common. Honestly I assumed that was the case nearly everywhere... guess not, ha!

you have a guarantee .. dont you ... why not give it a go ...

knock off the stuff ...

then place it out of wind.. and pot itself out of sun ... if your soil drains.. and its not frozen ... dig a hole and throw the pot in ...let mother earth temper it ...

if cant do that.. put it out of prevailing winter winds ... and sun ...

if you get snow.. just pile some on the pot.. and let it melt in when temps warm ... some ice cubes are an alternative ... its a good way to put a measured amount of water.. rather than dumping a watering can full or what not ..

a dormant tree really doesnt need water.. but we dont want the roots to go bone dry ...

i used to joke.. a pot that size.. with that much media is worth 20 bucks.. whats to lose .. lol ...

if you win.. bazinga.. if you lose.. you learn something.. and win again ...

ken

Hi Ken! Very good points. I’d love to give it a shot since it appears to be in good shape currently and I don’t have a staked one yet. Only thing is I don’t really have an appropriate place for it that is totally isolated from my other conifers... I mean are we talking 20-30’ away or would 10 be acceptable? Wind can carry spores pretty far I’d imagine and if this brown stuff is indeed dangerous than I don’t want to take chances. It’s not so much the $35 I’m worried about, just the infecting of other stuff...

I can’t seem to find pics online of anything definitive that looks just like this... hmm.

Maybe I’ll sit on the decision for a couple weeks and just leave it by the garage in the meantime. Throw some ice cubes on it, I like that. They won’t melt anytime soon but i suppose once it’d matter, they will.

Thanks!!

RE the question of how to keep a container conifer over the winter, I bought a live Christmas tree this year - a contorted white pine - in a container. I brought it inside for just 48 hours so it froze, thawed and froze again. I had dug a hole and set aside the soil inside, but when I was ready to plant the ground was frozen solid. Called the nursery for advice and was told I'd probably already killed it, but the best thing now was to put it in the coldest but not freezing dark place I had until spring and hope for the best. It was the freeze thaw freeze that was the problem. It's in a barely heated studio now where I will lightly water it.. My fingers are crossed. I hope yours survives too, but I learned my lesson about the risk of buying conifers with intention of planting them in winter. Weather is too volatile. At least you got yours at a big box with a guarantee. I'm out of luck!