Blue Spruce help

[MrBell04]

Hi all,

Looking for some help regarding the health of our blue spruce trees. They were planted last year in early fall and I made sure they were watered well before winter came. In the spring we put fertilizer spikes at the drip line for all three trees and have been watering as well. Two of the trees look healthy and the third is in rough shape at the bottom. Any idea what this could be caused by?

Thanks

 

[Jonny]

Overwatering or water not draining?

 

[MrBell04]

i Don’t think it’s over watering because I didn’t start to water them until it started looking rough. We had a lot of rain in early spring. How could I check for the water not draining?

 

[TCtreeswinger]

Who planted them? They look high or at least the one. Possibly overmulched not allowing percolation. Use a long screwdriver and poke around tree to feel soil density/moisture. If you move the tree can you hear a suction noise? What kind of soil? Where are you located? If its upper midwest save yourself the trouble.

 

[MrBell04]

A local tree company. I will poke around with a screwdriver and see what I find. It’s probably mostly clay. Located an hour north of Toronto

 

[TCtreeswinger]

Clay is a no no for spruce in general. Im in st paul mn usa so similar lateral and they are hands down most problematic tree i try to keep alive. Closer pics of foliage may help actual diagnosis. Start with cytospora canker then check rhizosphaera i see trees come from nurseries with needlecast regularly.

 

[JD3000]

Cut your losses and plant something more site appropriate. They're real high on my you know what list.

 

[MrBell04]

We have plenty of other blue spruces on our property and they are thriving and doing well. I think it could be a disease I will take closer pictures. If it helps the needles seem to turn purple before they go brown.

 

[JD3000]

Just a matter of time...

 

[RopeShield]

1 actual Handling the limbs at planting damage.
2 improperly planted
3 fert spikes is wrong
4 poor choice species
who planted them, random employees or trained

 

[MrBell04]

They were company employees but obviously were in a rush and didn’t care to much how they went in. Could you recommend a species of spruce that we should go with instead?

 

[MrBell04]

Clay is a no no for spruce in general. Im in st paul mn usa so similar lateral and they are hands down most problematic tree i try to keep alive. Closer pics of foliage may help actual diagnosis. Start with cytospora canker then check rhizosphaera i see trees come from nurseries with needlecast regularly.

 

[MrBell04]

Here are some closer pics

 

[RopeShield]

They were company employees but obviously were in a rush and didn’t care to much how they went in. Could you recommend a species of spruce that we should go with instead?

What is your goal with planting, wha do you want to achieve?

 

[JD3000]

Norway spruce is our best performer and Serbian can be hit or miss.

 

[MrBell04]

What is your goal with planting, wha do you want to achieve?

What is your goal with planting, wha do you want to achieve?

They were for privacy wife just liked the look of the blue.

 

[RopeShield]

You need to pay for a consult.
How much time, money and effort are you investing?
Every year I see the same things. Plantings going to shit. Some times it takes just a year other times 40 or more yrs
Need to hire someone with proven academic and practical knowledge.