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Harden off seedlings as other garden plants by placing in a shady spot out of the wind and gradually increasing their time outdoors. The easiest way to acquire spruce trees is to find small spruce, one inch to three feet tall, and transplant them.
Are spruce trees easy to grow?
Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a tough conifer that makes for an easy-care landscape tree in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 7. It is also planted extensively for forest restoration and windbreaks. Planting a Norway spruce is easy because it competes well with grass and weeds and requires no site preparation.
How long does it take to grow a spruce tree?
The Colorado blue spruce grows at a slow to medium rate, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, although it picks up a bit as it gets older. This blue spruce grows from 12 to 24 inches a year. So it will require 30 to 60 years for a Colorado blue spruce to grow from seed to 60 feet tall.
How do you start a spruce tree?
Spruce Tree Propagation from Cuttings Take cuttings in late summer or early fall. Choose healthy shoots and clip off each about as long as your palm. Recut the base of the cutting at an angle and strip all needles from the lower two-thirds of each one. Plant the cuttings deep into sandy loam.
How do you grow a full spruce tree?
Colorado blue spruce grows best in a sunny location with moist, well-drained, fertile soil. It tolerates dry wind and can adapt to dry soil. The tree is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 7. Plant Colorado blue spruce in a hole that is as deep as the root ball and two or three times as wide.
How do you take care of a spruce tree?
Spruce trees require full sun, adequate water and fertilizer to grow. Plant spruce trees as specimen trees or as an effective windbreak. With basic care, a spruce tree should thrive for years. Provide supplemental water for a spruce tree if less than 1 inch of rain falls within a one-week period.
Do spruce trees need sunlight?
Spruce Trees These trees are usually grown as ‘Christmas Trees,’ especially the Blue and Norway varieties. They require full to partial sun in order to thrive.
Do spruce trees need a lot of water?
Spruces create an extremely deep root system when watered deeply. In order to support large trees, the roots need to go deep into the soil to provide support. Waterings cannot be frequent and shallow, or roots will remain on the surface. Tree roots follow the water.
What spruce grows the fastest?
The fastest-growing spruce tree, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, is the triangular-shaped Norway spruce (Picea abies), which is part of many suburban home and rural farm landscapes throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.
What is the fastest-growing tree for privacy?
What are the fastest-growing trees for privacy? Hybrid poplar tops the list. It can grow upwards of five feet per year. The Leyland cypress, green giant arborvitae, and silver maple are all close seconds because they add about two feet to their height each year.
How long does it take for spruce seeds to germinate?
Cover the seeds with a couple of millimeters of vermiculite or failing that a fine layer of sieved compost. Follow with a gentle watering and keep them at room temperature. Germination will begin within a 10-14 days of sowing.
Do spruce seeds need light to germinate?
Like many tree seeds, Blue Spruce seeds need a period at low temperatures to allow them to sprout. The seeds must be moist to do this. For small numbers it is easiest to do this by sowing them, and then chilling them in the pots. After that they need warmth and light to germinate, which may take several weeks.
How often should I water spruce seedlings?
Give the tree 1 to 3 inches of water every week, unless moisture comes in the form of rainfall. Watering deeply once or twice weekly is better than more frequent, shallow irrigation, as deep watering will develop long, healthy roots.
When should you plant spruce trees?
The best time to plant evergreen trees Evergreens, or conifers like pine, spruce, and fir are best planted in early to late spring or early to mid autumn. In my zone 5 region that is April to early June and September and October. If you can, wait until there is a cloudy or drizzly day to transplant.
What kind of soil do spruce trees like?
A wide range of soil types can support blue spruce, including clay, loam or sandy soil. These trees grow wild in forests, especially at higher elevations, where they often have to contend with rocky soil and other adverse conditions. The ideal soil is a loose loam or sandy loam.
How do you keep a blue spruce healthy?
Light and Water Needs. Colorado blue spruce thrives in full sun but also grows in partial shade. Once established, the tree needs a medium amount of water, with a deep soaking every two or three weeks. Even though the tree likes the soil to remain moist, especially while it’s still young, it’s also tolerant of drought.
