Spruce viability - Ask Extension
I am trying to screen the view of my neighbor's back yard. Fall of 2023 planted a 7' Black Hills Spruce tree on a slope of maybe 35% angle. Planted ...
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Spruce viability #868249
Asked May 13, 2024, 4:01 PM EDT
I am trying to screen the view of my neighbor's back yard. Fall of 2023 planted a 7' Black Hills Spruce tree on a slope of maybe 35% angle. Planted professionally using rotospade. Watered until freeze up alternating hose at a trickle, deep root feeder, and even a lawn sprinkler. This spring started watering as soon as hose was not frozen. The tree is 1/2 dead and looks awful. I love evergreen trees and did have luck with 2 other trees, but it is expensive and time consuming. Alternatives? Deciduous are bare in winter. Desire immediate screening result. Suggestions?
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hello,
I'm sorry about your tree. Larger trees (especially evergreen) are very hard to transplant and often suffer from a great deal of transplant shock which results in a stress and delayed growing. I would leave the tree in place. Just cut off the dead . The intense heat and drought are making tree planting very difficult. Make sure your tree is well mulched. The larger the tree transplanted the slower it will be to "take off" . I'm not sure how much space you have but, planting a couple small white pines would be faster growing. They get huge so you need to have the space.
I guess I need more information about your sight, space and sun.
Sally Granath
St. Louis County MG
