What is wrong with my Norway Spruce?
Jordan Roon
2 years ago
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
2 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Decisions about Norway Spruce in my snall yard.
Comments (11)It has taken 15 years for them to go from 5' to 25' and give the 4-season privacy that I have - I would be sad to start over! This is a view from the patio - I don't know if you can see it, but there is a little more space between the bushier, darker, more narrow spruce on the far left and the lighter colored, more loose looking one on the left side of the arbor. If you look on the right side of the arbor, the final group of three spruce are even closer together. Of these three, the one in the middle seems to be more narrow, smaller, and bushier than the ones on either side. These five may not all be the exact same kind of conifer or maybe it is just normal differences between trees. The needles on the two more narrow, bushy ones are slightly shorter and darker in color than the other three. The spruces that are to the right of the arbor are the only ones potentially in danger of reaching the sunroom windows. The two to the left of the arbor have a little more freedom. The least attractive one is the lighter colored one on the left side of the arbor and I would feel less badly if that one had to go looks-wise but it sure would leave a big gap in the line of trees. If I trimmed the interior, intermingling branches away from any tree I was planning to remove, and allowed the branches of the keepers to have more breathing room, do you think that would let me wait until the keepers were a little bigger so I wouldn't lose the current look/privacy? I just hate trying to decide what to do here! I have trouble culling little bitty baby plants, much less a beautiful mature tree! At my age (3+ years to retirement!), maybe I should just let the next owners decide what to do for their own plans for the yard. I WILL be still gardening for the next 15 years (hopefully in this house) if I have anything to say about it though! BettyLu...See MoreWhat's a better choice - blue spruce or norway spruce
Comments (26)Wow - you dug up a seriously old post! So I did end up planting a very long screen -- basically the entire length of the property line -- and I'm actually really happy with how it turned out. We used Thuja Green Giant arborvitae in the center where the tallest part of the house we are trying to block out is -- we planted them a decent distance apart, not all jammed up like I see people do for a property line screen. They have grown fast, widened out, and are basically almost up to the roof of the house we are trying to hide. I think they should cap out right about 35 feet or so, which won't block the view. We planted a few during our initial planting then filled in with a few more a couple years later -- those later plantings are a bit stunted - not sure if it's because we squeezed them into less space or they were just inferior to begin with (originals came from a nursery and were planted by a landscaper, later ones from Home Depot and we DIYed them). But they are all growing well and healthy, and seem impervious to deer, wind, cold, snow, etc. To the sides of the arborvitate, we used Nellie Stevens hollies. They too have grown fast. They don't much care for the wind -- they ended up looking pretty bad by the end of the last two winters (which were brutally cold and windy) but they filled in with new leaves in the spring. The deer don't seem to eat them either. And again, I think they cap out at 20 feet or so. To the sides of that (which is getting away from blocking the house and now just screening their yard from ours) we used forsythias planted very close together that we let grow wild into a thick hedge -- mainly because I love forsythia. It's not evergreeen but the hedge is so thick and branches are so close together that it does a decent job of screening even in winter. And in spring when it is in bloom, it is an absolutely stunning wall of yellow. Again the deer don't bother them and they seem to grow well without much care. And finally at the very end of the property lines, we used sea green junipers -- again, we were looking for something evergreen but it didn't need to be tall - we were only trying to hide the neighbor's "junk pile" which was unfortunately located so that it was the first thing you saw when you pulled into our driveway. Those are the plants that look the sickliest -- there's always big brown patches in them and the snow breaks the branches. But they are farthest from the house and from far away they look ok, so I don't mind them. I think if I had to do it over again, I'd have used all forsythia instead of also using juniper -- the forsythia are just so amazingly gorgeous when they are in bloom. I would take a picture for you but we are in the middle of a storm right now -- if I remember, I will get one tomorrow. Here's a link to a pic of what it looked like when we first planted itin 2009: Newly planted And here's a shot from the summer of 2012 (sorry for lousy pic -- best I could find): Three years old I would say that this year it really started to look good since the green giants are basically touching now....See Moremy Norway Spruce trees look like they are dying - please help me
Comments (11)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...See Morebrowning interior needles of norway spruce
Comments (6)forget about rust and spraying.. its all normal ... i suspect recent transplant.. within 3 years.. and a large transplant at that.. they stress more in that regard... can you add any facts in that regard ...??? i suspect a weather anomaly ... adding to the stress above... i had 8 weeks near 100 with total drought.. most of my conifers look like this.. can you add any more pertinent facts ... ??? the key.. or the future of this plant is in its buds.. of which there are no pix ... but next years buds are already there ... they should be tan brown.. and hard as nails... and as long as they remain so.. this plant is ready for next year.. [dead or dying buds turn black and mushy] go out there.. and trace back 6 to 9 inches.. and you will see where last years buds were .. and you will note no browning of this years crop of needles.. then track back to the prior set of buds.. and you will note there is no brown.. so last years growth is fine .. and then track back further.. and you will probably see some browning on the oldest needles.. this is NORMAL ... no conifer holds its needles forever.. usually only 1 to 3 years .. all older needles are shed.. interiors of conifer are bare.. so what you are seeing is within normal limits ... now.. look up to the leader ... this tree is getting established.. because you will note the rather normal aggressive growth now starting ... much more than the horizontal growth.. this tree is wildly happy ... but as above.. trace down.. it has needles on the trunk only from this year.. and last year.. and is shedding those needles 3 years back ... and as you trace the trunk further down.. you will note it is bare.. and starting to form mature bark ... which is needle-less ... whoever suggested chemical intervention is wrong.. and frankly .. probably only wants to sell you something you dont need ... and since its all normal.. spraying is just pollution ... step away from this plant.. and relax.. it is doing fine ... i would increase the mulch to another foot or two.. and start wondering what you are going to do.. when this thing is 50 to 100 feet tall .... do not start trimming the horizontal growth.. to keep it confined to what little space it has now ... this is a forest tree of great potential .... not some tree you are going to keep as a cute little xmas tree in the middle of your lawn ... there are named varieties which would be better suited for that ... good luck ken Here is a link that might be useful: its native potential...See MoreJordan Roon
2 years agotsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
2 years agoJordan Roon
2 years agoEmbothrium
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2 years agolast modified: 2 years agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
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2 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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2 years agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
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2 years agoJordan Roon
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Jordan RoonOriginal Author