where are the pix of your FF order??? did i miss them???? forget about lower branches... when these trees are 20 feet tall .. and they will be.. they will not have any live branches for the first 5 feet or so ... the higher ones weeping down to the ground ... lets just presume.. until proven otherwise.. that the tree sacrificed the lowest branches to invigorate the upper ones.. and the main leader.. due to transplant ... and the digging of the B&B .... and the idiotic shearing .... stare at your first picture... long enough .. and you can delineate the sheared bottom half.. to the growth on the top half after transplant... a more 'natural' growth pattern.. instead of the forced conical shape ... it will become even more apparent this year.. after flush .. ken

a pic of the tree as a whole.. for shape and form .. and a pic of a branch end.. showing needles and buds will get you beyond speculation.. and to an ID not being an ID pro.. i might suggest that omorika are very sharp and poke-y .... and glauca much softer .... relatively speaking [to the point where the back of your hand will have little red welts.. with omorika ... happened to me anyway.. lol] welcome to GW.. those with much more ID experience.. will chime in .. but see if you can get some pix.. in the interim ... ken

Spruceman only checks in with us here very occasionally, but yes, his Norway spruce experience and advice is unparalleled. One thing that jumped out in OPs old original post is the paucity of sunlight-only 3 hrs. per day-falling on his trees. Combine that with close competition from larger and more well-established pines nearby, and it seems there would be some struggle here. Neverthelss, these tree species are very compatible, both having roughly the same requirements as well as growth rates (fast). I'd look to carefully trim some branches if any are especially inhibiting the newer trees. I'd pay attention to water needs as the older, more established plants are going to hog it up. And please, do not buy "fertilizer spikes". They are a bad idea whose time has come.......and gone. +oM

Hey guys, Ken, I appolgoize for not being able to answer all your questions. I simply do not know enough about trees and soil in my area, and that is why I came to the forums. As I stated in my OP, that water sits for maybe a week in the spring, I would say a solid .5" - 1" and slowly seeps away. I've spoken to a local landscaper/nursery, and in his situation, the White Spruce he has that also sit in water for that same week, have taken off BETTER then the spruce never exposed to standing water. Wisconsitom- Thank you for the response. It seems that you know the area better then myself! As you stated, the Norway Spruce would be in your opinion a better fit then the White Spruce. I would not have a issue planting (2) rows of just Norway, but then again I do like variety in the yard, and to prevent against disease/pest damages them as sc77 stated. The vendor I am looking to order through (Hickory Grove Nursery, out of Maribel WI) does indeed have the White Cedar available also. Now I am questioning doing a row of White Cedar, followed by a row of Norway Spruce. Although I will be researching the balsam fir a bit too! I have a solid month before I order, just trying to come to a decision. As all of you have stated, its a trap shoot. I realize if we do not have a all to wet spring, everything would probable be fine once the roots are established. I also understand that sometimes they work, sometimes they do not. I appreciate everybody's input, just trying to understand my best chance of tree survival with the conditions I am trying to explain, last thing I want to do is have to replant due to not getting reliable information such as you guys are giving me. Thank you!