how to propagate norway spruce

Spruce Tree Propagation from Cuttings 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. You can dip each cut end in rooting hormone before planting if desired, although it's not required.

How do you germinate Norway spruce seeds?

They will germinate best if you soak them in water for 24 hours prior to planting them. You can sow seeds into a flat or individual 4-inch pots that have been filled with a soilless seed starting mix. Cover the seed very lightly with the mix; if you bury them too deeply they may not germinate.

How long does it take to grow a Norway spruce?

The Norway Spruce is a fast growing (2-3' per year) evergreen that has dark green needles that are 1 inch long, and can grow up to 5 ft a year in a good weather year. It never drops its needles but keeps them on for up to 10 years. Its branches extend to the ground, giving excellent wind protection.

Can you shape a Norway spruce?

Prune Norway spruce in the late winter or early spring. For young trees, follow branch tips back until you find two branches growing to either side. ... Doing this will encourage the side branches that remain to grow faster and make the tree bushier. Cut the lowest rung of branches on the tree to force more height.

Can you cut the top of a Norway spruce tree?

You can cut the top and fatten the tree, but you have to be willing to shear it like a hedge 1-2 times yearly to maintain the height and shape. You would be better to remove the tree and replace it with a tree that suits your needs better.

How long does it take for a spruce tree seed to sprout?

The seeds require no supplemental water during the normally rainy winter and spring months, although they should be watered to a depth of 3 inches if no rain falls for longer than two weeks. Healthy Norway spruce seeds will germinate in one to three weeks once daytime temperatures reliably top 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do you plant Norway spruce?

Dig a large hole, not too deep, but at least twice as wide as the size of the Norway spruce root ball. This will give the roots plenty of room to spread. If the tree is in a plastic pot, cut the pot away carefully, but don't pull it out by the trunk. If the roots are wrapped in burlap, the burlap can be left in place.

What is the best fertilizer for Norway spruce?

Fertilizers for Spruce

Spruce trees do not have very high phosphorous needs and benefit most form an acidic fertilizer designed for evergreens or a high-nitrogen fertilizer with a formula like 12-6-4 or 10-8-6. Organic fertilizer options include compost, fish emulsion, cottonseed meal and alfalfa meal.

Can you keep a Norway spruce small?

If you just want to shape your dwarf spruce, or if your tree is young and you want to trim it to keep it small, then you can prune with a good amount of success. Taking care not to cut into the dead zone, cut back any branches that extend beyond the tree's conical shape. Remove ½ to 1 inch (up to 2.5 cm.)

How often should you water a newly planted Norway spruce?

Generally, a newly planted tree should be watered every three to five days during the growing season, depending on weather and soil conditions. Remember that newly planted trees also need water during dry periods in the winter months. Try to water at least once a month in the dormant season.

How big will a Norway spruce get?

Mature Size

The Norway spruce grows to a height of 40–60' and a spread of 25–30' at maturity.

Will deer eat Norway spruce?

Norway spruce requires no site preparation. It is a shade tolerant conifer that can survive dense grass cover. Norway spruce is not readily eaten. Deer mostly leave it alone.

How close can you plant Norway spruce?

Spacing Considerations

Norway Spruce are an excellent choice because they have good deer resistance in the Hudson Valley. It is OK to space these trees 10 feet on center from each other.

Will a spruce tree regrow branches?

Answer: Generally, it is acceptable to remove dead branches on pine trees as they won't grow back. On spruce trees, it can be helpful for the tree to remove dead branch sections so that healthy branches can replace them, since spruces will regrow along the healthy branches that have buds.

What does a Norway spruce look like?

Spruces are known for their distinctive look. They have a narrowly tapered crown and branches that often hang and sway. The bark is either pure brown or a grayish-brown, with orange-brown hairless shoots. The leaves are dark green needles up to 10 mm long and 3 mm wide, with a slight shine to them.

Can you air layer a spruce tree?

In air-layering, as compared to propagation by cuttings, the branches are not re- moved from the tree but the roots are induced to form on the branch while they are still attached and part of the tree. ... Black spruce trees, especially, produce roots on many of their side branches.

How do you care for a Norway spruce tree?

After your tree is established, it will only need watered when the soil is dry. This Spruce tree is drought tolerant once established. Fertilize when planting and in early spring yearly with a slow release fertilizer. The Norway Spruce is wind, cold, and deer resistant.

How do you propagate 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.

Do Norway spruce need full sun?

You can plant Norway spruce in sun, shade or partial shade and it grows just the same. It is tolerant of poor soil but also grows in rich, fertile soils.

Do Norway spruce lose their needles?

Like all evergreen plants, both needled and broadleaf, spruce trees eventually drop foliage. An individual needle will naturally stay on a spruce branch for 2-3 years, and then turn brown before dropping. ... It also occasionally occurs on Norway spruce, but rarely on white spruce.

What is the fastest growing spruce tree?

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.