6 Tips to Make Blue Spruce Grow Faster

The blue spruce is a unique tree because it has a sky-blue color in addition to the beautiful needles. Such a combination is rare, even for conifers.

QUICK ANSWER: Give it at least 8 hours of direct sunlight daily to make the Blue Spruce grow faster. Fertilize it with multipurpose fertilizer once a year and mulch the root zone with compost. Also, water Blue Spruce in dry weather to keep it healthy.

Provide plenty of sunlight

To achieve the maximum growth rate of the Blue Spruce, you need to provide it with as much sunlight as possible. It is a sun-loving tree that can tolerate any hours of direct sun.

You shouldn’t expect a fast growth rate if your spruce gets less than 8 hours of direct light. To remedy the situation, you must make room around the tree at least 10 feet away. Remove or replant trees that grow too close to the blue spruce.

Fertilize Blue spruce

The next thing to do is to provide the tree with enough nutrients. Apply a slow-release fertilizer. These are usually made with a little more nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium.

The slow-release fertilizer should be applied once a year in early spring. The next application should be after 12 months. Stick to the amount of fertilizer recommended by the manufacturer on the label.

Avoid using the fertilizer more than once a year because this makes the spruce susceptible to diseases. Also, do not fertilize later than midsummer, as this can cause new shoots to grow, which may die during the winter.

Water with enough water

Watering is also an essential part of the vigorous growth of the tree. You have to watch the soil in the root zone of the spruce. If the soil is more than 2 inches dry, water the spruce with 1-2 gallons. Larger trees will need more water.

You should follow this recommendation for 1 to 3 years after planting. Once the tree takes root, it can get water on its own. The only exception will be extreme drought. In that case, watering is also necessary.

However, you should avoid over-watering as this can lead to stunted growth of the spruce or even its death. Do not water the spruce until the soil is about 2 inches dry, and do not use too much water.

Mulch with organic material

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The advantage of mulch is that the soil dries out slowly. Also, the soil heats up less in the summer heat, and the tree is more comfortable at this time.

Pine bark, wood chips, or compost work very well. However, compost also has nutrients, so it is an excellent organic fertilizer. Only use quality compost from a supplier that has positive reviews.

The layer of mulch should be about 2-3 inches thick. Spread the mulch around the tree a little wider than the crown of the spruce.

Do not put mulch on the tree’s trunk, or it may have negative consequences. A gap of about 1-2 inches between the trunk and the mulch should exist.

Depending on the material, mulch must be renewed once every 1 to 3 years. Be sure to change the mulch to get good results.

Keep the Blue spruce healthy

Diseases, especially fungal diseases, can significantly stunt Blue Spruce growth. The spruce can sometimes become very severely affected or even die.

Fungal diseases usually show themselves as small black spots on the needles. It is also possible for the needles to turn brown.

To avoid this, constantly check the needles for disease symptoms, especially young growth. If you see the disease, spray the spruce immediately with copper fungicide.

The same applies to pests. For example, mites can stop young blue spruce from growing at all. So, you must watch for pests on your spruce regularly. When you see an insect colony, spray the spruce with an aqueous neem oil solution.

Do not transplant

Replanting is always hard on the growth of any tree. If you transplant a Blue Spruce, its development will slow for several years. Moreover, improper transplanting can kill the tree.

So, you need to determine the right place to plant it. There should be at least 10 feet of space from the tree trunk in all directions. In this way, the tree will get enough light and room to grow quickly.

If you make the mistake of planting the spruce in a limited space, it needs to be replanted. Do this only in early spring, and don’t damage the root system.

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