How do you care for a blue spruce?
Wrap the pot and roots in an insulating material such as fibreglass insulation. Check the soil from time to time and give it a drink if needed, but just enough to keep it moist, not wet. Come springtime, you can choose to keep it in its pot outside and reuse it next Christmas, or plant it in your yard permanently.
Is My Blue Spruce dying?
The prevalence of diseases on blue spruce trees has intensified in recent years and trees are declining rapidly in many areas (Photo 1). The key symptom of spruce decline is branch dieback, which progresses over two to four years and renders the plant’s appearance unacceptable for most homeowners (Photo 2). The rapid decline of many spruce trees in Michigan and surrounding states appears to be related to an increase of canker diseases coupled with other disease and insect problems that ...
Can blue spruce be pruned?
While evergreens such as blue spruce don't require extensive pruning -- the plant doesn't grow continuously and doesn't require much maintenance -- it's best to prune blue spruce in the later winter months before the shrub's growing season. Avoid pruning during the wet or warm season to limit the likelihood of diseases.
How to prune a Colorado blue spruce?
Trimming bottom branches of Blue Spruce
- Cases where trimming of the bottom branches is required. In most cases, the lower part of the spruce needs pruning if it is too large. ...
- The best time for trimming. ...
- Right tools are the key to success. ...
- Advantages of such pruning. ...
- Additional information. ...
How do you trim an overgrown blue spruce tree?
Spruce, fir, and whorl-branched trees and shrubs that have short, sharp needles can be trimmed all the way back to a lateral branch or dormant bud; dead bottom branches should be removed. Though you can hold off a little longer with these trees, it's best to cut in cold weather so that they “bleed” less sap.
What happens if you top a blue spruce?
This is why spruce trees have that pyramidal shape and are not more rounded or decurrent. By topping evergreen trees, it will destroy the apical dominance of the plant and result in growing more round than tall with a misshaped top.
Can you prune and shape a blue spruce?
0:564:41HOW TO: Trim Spruce and Pines - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOkay here's a norway spruce in another part of the yard. And here you can see two we have one chuteMoreOkay here's a norway spruce in another part of the yard. And here you can see two we have one chute that's trying to become the leader. So we'll just shorten that up and then this is the time of year
How do you stop a spruce tree from growing taller?
How to Make a Tree Stop Growing UpwardCut the top of the tree back to within 2 inches where several other branches are growing from the main trunk. ... Select a new lead from those branches growing closest to the top. ... Prune back all the other limbs in the same section so that the top stay uniform to the rest of the tree.More items...•
Can you trim a blue spruce to keep it small?
In most cases, to keep a blue spruce tree small, you will need to trim and prune off the branches and foliage. This can cause issues, as most times gardeners can have trouble with keeping a consistent tree shape while pruning.
How do you shape a blue spruce tree?
0:275:51How to Trim a Spruce tree and a pine tree Trimming 101 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhat you want to do is really just tip back the longest one. And work your way around the tree. JustMoreWhat you want to do is really just tip back the longest one. And work your way around the tree. Just trying to keep everything even. And same with the pine trees.
Can I cut the top off a spruce tree?
Top your spruce tree (cut the tip of the main trunk) only if you wish to prevent your tree from getting any taller and wish it to bush out. Never cut more than 1/3 of the total height of the tree off the top. Cut just above a branching node. Cut off all branches which are growing downward.
Will blue spruce branches grow back?
Long answer is, as long as the growing tips of the branches are not damaged, the tree will most likely produce new buds next year as long as the tree has been properly cared for (good water, maybe a bit of fertilizer this past spring, etc.).
Can you trim the top of a spruce tree?
In answer to your question, yes, late winter is a good time to be doing pruning on evergreens such as spruce. Pruning after the sap starts running can be damaging to the tree.
How much of a tree can you cut without killing it?
Depending on its size, age, and condition, no more than 5% to 20% of a tree's crown should be removed at one time. The main reason for this is to avoid the tree's stress response of producing lots of suckering branches that are weak and may develop in the wrong places in a tree's crown or along its trunk.
How do you limit the height of a tree?
One way of limiting a tree's height is by shaping it like a tulip, regulating the trunk's vertical growth. Once you prune the tree into this shape if you wish to maintain your tree low, remove or prune vigorous roots over the height, pruning 50% of all new growth in the early summer or late spring of the third year.
How big do blue spruce trees get?
Mature Size. The Colorado blue spruce grows to a height of 50–75' and a spread of 10–20' at maturity.
Will blue spruce branches grow back?
Long answer is, as long as the growing tips of the branches are not damaged, the tree will most likely produce new buds next year as long as the tree has been properly cared for (good water, maybe a bit of fertilizer this past spring, etc.).
How do you make a blue spruce bluer?
Instead, giving the tree the best care possible will give you the edge on keeping a blue spruce blue. First, be sure to give your tree a full sun location with good drainage in an appropriate hardiness zone. Next, give it sufficient water to keep the soil moist, plus an extra inch (2.5 cm.)
Why is my blue spruce turning brown at the top?
White Pine Weevils can cause the tops of spruce to turn brown. They lay their eggs in the branches in the spring and the hatched beetles start feeding on them, cutting off water flow.
What is the lifespan of a blue spruce tree?
Growth and Yield- Blue spruce is apparently a long-lived tree, surviving up to 600 years or more. Diameter growth is slow; trees 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) in d.b.h. may be 125 to 135 years old; at 46 to 56 cm (18 to 22 in), they may be 275 to 350 years of age (84).
What is a blue spruce?
Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) is commonly called blue spruce for the pale-blue cast of its needles. Blue spruce provides winter interest as well as shelter for birds and animals.
How to protect yourself from spruce sap?
Put on canvas gloves and long sleeves to protect yourself from sap and sharp needles. Wear safety glasses if the spruce's branches are longer than your arm.
How to kill fungus on pruning shears?
Step 1. Clean pruning shear blades before each use. Dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds to kill bacteria, fungus and insect eggs. If you don't want to wait for water to boil, a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol will do the trick.
Can you cut the top of a blue spruce?
Never cut off the top of a blue spruce unless you want to kill it. Very few trees can tolerate "topping."
Do you have to prune a blue spruce tree?
Like most conifers, it needs little to no pruning for maintenance. Because blue spruce branches all the way to the ground, you may want to remove a few branches for clearance if the tree is planted near a window, or is blocking a driveway or sidewalk. Advertisement.
What is the shape of a blue spruce tree?
The shape or form of the tree - blue spruces are naturally conical trees and when grown in their own right can be a beautiful sight. You can endeavour to trim the tree all over to retain the conical shape but it will be a real challenge to make it look as even as if it were left alone. In the worst case you might end up with a square shape from a distance (with multiple pruned out leaders at the top causing spreading sideways instead of reaching up) and a rough cylinder up close.
How tall are blue spruces?
I'm sure this post will make landscape professionals shiver, but I have personally seen two Blue Spruces maintained at a height of about 8' without losing their conical shape for 25 years. When I was a kid, my father had two Blue Spruces in the yard, he treated them like a hedge, sheared them like privets and maintained their shape.
What to do if a tree has roots in the lawn?
If it has sent out roots into a lawn area and you fertilize the lawn, cut down on the fertilizer. In the most fortunate of circumstances, the person who planted the tree will have chosen a cultivar that tops out exactly where you need it to stop, in which case stand back and enjoy. Share. Improve this answer.
Did conifers lose their shape?
I would certainly never buy a conifer with that intent, but I can say with certainty that for 25 years it worked.... to the end, they never lost their shape. He just decided to replace them with some other shrubs just to change up the landscape.
Is a blue spruce a conical tree?
The shape or form of the tree - blue spruces are naturally conical trees and when grown in their own right can be a beautiful sight. You can endeavour to trim the tree all over to retain the conical shape but it will be a real challenge to make it look as even as if it were left alone.
When is pruning necessary for spruce?
Another case when it may be necessary is when the spruce crown has spread to the whole flowerbed and prevents other plants from existing there.
When is the unfavorable time for blue spruce?
The unfavorable period is late spring and early summer because, at this time of year, blue spruce is growing fast, its young growths are not yet ripe, and you can damage other branches that are not planned to remove. Besides, at this time, the plant will lose a lot of juice if you cut large bottom branches.
How to properly remove the bottom branches?
Here we come to the main section of this post, and here I will try to explain how to trim the lower branches of blue spruce. I will also tell you what problems you may have and discover one trick that is often used by experienced arborists.
What to do after trimming a spruce tree?
After trimming, cover all wounds with pruning paste and spray with spruce with fungicide.
Why do you need to use pruning paste?
Additionally, you may need a pruning paste to cover the wounds that remain after you have cut the branches. Pruning paste will accelerate wound healing and prevent pests and diseases from getting there.
What color is a spruce trunk?
With this method of pruning will become a visible trunk of spruce, which has a beautiful red-brown color; it will be harmonious, contrasting with the blue needles.
Why do blue spruces lose their lower branches?
Finally, in nature, blue spruces also lose their lower branches. This is due to competition between the trees, they begin to shade each other and lose their lower branches. Therefore, the removal of the lower branches is a completely natural process.
When is the best time to prune conifers?
Though outdoor temperatures may not be ideal for yard work, in most areas March is prime time to prune common backyard conifers, using the end-of-winter dormant period as a window of opportunity to stimulate growth. Here’s how. By Laura Testino.
How to reduce the size of a plant?
Encourage a plant’s natural habit with the right cuts. Shape it using heading cuts: Hold pruners at a slight angle about inch above a bud that faces the direction in which you want to encourage the new growth. To reduce overall size, use thinning cuts —removing a branch at its origin— in moderation.
Can you cut back a fir tree?
Spruce, fir, and whorl-branched trees and shrubs that have short, sharp needles can be trimmed all the way back to a lateral branch or dormant bud; dead bottom branches should be removed. Though you can hold off a little longer with these trees, it’s best to cut in cold weather so that they “bleed” less sap.
What does it mean when a spruce is pruned back to a side bud?
Pruning spruce back to a side bud or side branch will encourage growth of side branches.
Do spruce trees need pruning?
Spruce ( Picea spp.) need little to no pruning.
What does "limb up" mean on a blue spruce tree?
"Limbing-up" means removing the lowermost limbs so the branch tips don't rest near the ground.
How to prevent spreading disease on spruce?
To prevent accidentally spreading disease, douse the pruning or saw blades with rubbing alcohol after cutting into diseased tissues. This sterilizes the blades before you make another cut into other parts of the spruce tree. For large limbs, use a pruning saw rather than a pruners or loppers.
Why do you need gloves when pruning spruce?
Wear gloves when pruning because blue spruce needles are stiff and prickly.
Step 1
Remove shrub branches that interfere with the overall look you desire, but follow the natural shape of the plant when shaping it. Don't force a spreading shrub into something more conical. Remove branches all the way back to where there are needles; never cut back to a bare branch.
Step 2
Cut back diseased branch areas 4 to 6 inches below the cancerous areas, until you see white wood. If necessary, prune the branch all the way back to the trunk.
Step 3
Remove some of the inner, upper branches to allow plenty of light and airflow into the center of the plant. Leaving too many internal branches prevents proper growth. Don't just trim the outside foliage.
Step 4
Remove any other leaders or branches so that there is one main trunk on your shrub.
Blue Spruce Tree Basics
As mentioned, to know how to keep your blue spruce small, you first need to know the wants and needs of your tree, so that you can provide and alter them to affect the tree.
Picking The Right Blue Spruce Variety To Keep It Small
Another thing to keep in mind when wanting small blue spruce is picking out a specific variety. As with most things, each blue spruce variety has its own characteristics, including size and shape, meaning you can pick one for your very specific needs.
6 Steps To Keep Your Blue Spruce Tree Small
Now that we know the tendencies of blue spruce trees and what they need, we can learn some simple steps and tips on how to keep them small.
How To Take Care Of Baby Blue Spruces
One of the most challenging things of raising and maintaining a small blue spruce is raising it from the seedling to the adult stage.
Cases Where Trimming of The Bottom Branches Is Required
The Best Time For Trimming
- If you have already decided that you need to reduce the size of your plants, then it’s time to find out when it’s best to do it. Not every season is suitable for this. The best time for trimming in early spring, at this time, the plant has not begun to grow intensively, and it will easily pass through it. Also, in the middle of spring, blue spruce ...
Right Tools Are The Key to Success
- For proper trimming, you will need quality tools, such as: 1. pruning shears; 2. garden knife; 3. saw. Use only the right tools from reputable manufacturers, this will allow you to work more relaxed and more comfortable, and your plants will have less damage. You must sharpen your tools well. Otherwise, the cuts will be of poor quality, and the spruce will not recover well. Be sur…
How to Properly Remove The Bottom branches?
- Here we come to the main section of this post, and here I will try to explain how to trim the lower branches of blue spruce. I will also tell you what problems you may have and discover one trick that is often used by experienced arborists. If you need a lot of space, try to trim no more than half of the spruce branches. If you need to remove more than half of the branches, do it in two stage…
Advantages of Such Pruning
- Many people doubt whether to cut the whole lower part of the spruce. They are interested in what the plant will look like afterward, whether it will harm it. So let’s look at these issues in order. Spruce without bottom branches very aesthetically pleasing; in fact, it is one of the most common landscaping techniques. With this method of pruning will become a visible trunk of spruce, whic…
Additional Information
- In the lower part of the spruce is hidden a considerable number of different beetles and insects that cause damage to the plant. They can hide inside of spruce and under the fallen needles. Also, inside of the spruce, there is almost no sunlight; this contributes to the development of fungi. All of these problems can be solved by trimming the bottom. Your spruce will become healthier a…