2013 Norway Spruce Plantings

[tooln]

I purchased my property in Jan of 2011. In the winter of 2012/2013 I clear cut about 2.5 acres, in May of 2013 I planted it all in Norway spruce. Since planting I go into this area twice a year once after rifle season and once early spring. When I planted the Norway's they were 3 year old bare root seedlings. The average height at planting was 6-9". I used root gel and left them alone after that. They are competing with regrowth and whatever else come up. Today was my annual fall walk through and I took a few pic's. I'm guessing I have better than a 95% survival rate. The area was full of trails and I came across several beds. The gun in the pic's is a Ruger 10/22 to give you an idea of the growth I'm getting.

 

[scott44]

Looks good and thick on that regeneration, good looking trees I hope mine look like that in a couple years.

 

[tooln]

I can't wait to see how they take off after they get above everything else. I figured the first 3 years would be slow growth and then take off after that.

 

[dipper]

Thnks for sharing. I'm shifting my spruce gears to ns thanks to u guys.

 

[tooln]

NOFO gave me a line on where to get them.

http://www.lauraslanenursery.com/

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If you want to kick them up, try sprinkling some 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 around them in the spring in April. In my experience with Norways or white spruce, year 3 is the start of good growth. By year 6 I usually have a 6 or 7 ft. tree, sometimes better.

As they get taller, bucks will find them to rub on. I've had some get ripped up pretty well and they survived - they just aren't as " pretty " for a few more years. We've had some bigger ones have limbs the size of broom handles get broken off by bucks. Expect some buck damage, but they'll survive.

Good looking spruce in the pix !! No surprise you see trails and beds - it'll get better !!

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

I was told 5 feet by yr 5 and then a foot a year f growth. First year or two they are just rooting. I had alot of fresh growth on mine in 2013 but oddly I actually had a very high percentage that were topped off over winter. I was doing some TSI and tipping over 60 year old hemlocks with no lower branches and a huge canopy. This promoted so much bedding and browse in the area that the activity was up 100 fold and some got chewed on.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

I am planting them in areas that wont get full sun. Survival vs growth is fine with me. Whoever turned me onto the plugs deserves a christmas card. They are so easy and I cant wait to see if they make a difference in 5 years or so.

 

[dipper]

NOFO gave me a line on where to get them.

http://www.lauraslanenursery.com/

Am I reading their prices right, $230 for 1000 3 year old Norway spruce?

 

[Bill]

Am I reading their prices right, $230 for 1000 3 year old Norway spruce?

Don't think so. That's the price per 1000 when ordering 10'000 trees.
But it's only $240 per 1000 stand alone. I think these are bare root not plugs.

Anyone know for sure?

 

[Tree Spud]

I have planted around 3000 Norway spruce ... they have all been browsed stunting any growth.

Glad yours are doing well.

 

[dipper]

I think I'm gonna try black hills spruce. You here a lot about its drought resistance, which is what I need because of my sandy soil.

 

[tooln]

When I got mine you got the price break @ 1000 trees. Yes they are bare root. I got 1300 and paid less than $300 with the root gel.

 

[browndog]

Don't think so. That's the price per 1000 when ordering 10'000 trees.
But it's only $240 per 1000 stand alone. I think these are bare root not plugs.

Anyone know for sure?

Yep, it's $240 per 1000 bare root trees.

You can order a minimum of 300 trees and get the 1000 rate price, 5,000 trees and you can get the 10,000 rate. This info is on the order form. I have been buying trees from Lauras Lane for years.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I have planted around 3000 Norway spruce ... they have all been browsed stunting any growth.

Glad yours are doing well.

With high deer density, I think they browse a little more on the norway spruce vs. the white spruce. After 5 years NS are finally getting ahead a little. I have gone back to only using WS and they can grow a couple ft/year after year 5 or so. I have some topping out at 10-12 ft after 8 years but most are 8-10 ft. If your deer numbers are lower I think NS can grow a little faster than WS but for me the initial browsing loss is too severe.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

I wouldnt ever consider my deer density too high but they found them. Ths is a property where we saw 0 deer for the gun season and we are happy to see 3 does on any bow sit and harvest 1 doe and 2.5 yr old buck a year. In ten years the mst deer we have ever seen on one sit was 11 and this year I saw 3 2/3 year old bucks on november 10th. Both property records. In November I saw 3 does 2 fawns and 9 bucks bowhunting. The quality was good. Quantity was low.


When NoFo talks about a deer per acre I dont doubt him but most days I would guess here this about 3 hiding on my 40 when I go to hunt. Most deer come off the surrounding properties and work from major blocks of timber to big ag fields. I am the transition woods....but hard to cover a 40. Anyways.....they will eat the norways and the whites. I just keep putting them in and playing the numbers game. 2 feet of snow to cover them wouldnt hurt me this winter but I will pray for no snow like usual.

 

[rocksnstumps]

It's like a two week window right after the snow melts and before other stuff starts to green up a little that is the munchies time. Doesn't kill em but but two or three years of browse and that tree is half as tall as one that gets overlooked 5 years down the road. You also get to do lots of trimming to get back to one leader. I don't bother to do that until they get to 4 ft or so as by that point they start to leave the leader alone.

 

[Big Snow Man]

NOFO gave me a line on where to get them.

http://www.lauraslanenursery.com/

I have used Laura Lane for a few years but was not very happy with what I received last year. The 2-2 red pine many had a 90 degree be end in the plants from the base at ground level. I'm going with plugs from Itasca next year.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I agree with RnS above ^^^^^, post #17. Some years the Norways get hit harder than others, and I end up with multi-leader trees. Ours get hit less now that we have winter food plots and some cut areas that offer browse. I fence some of the Norways and white spruce to keep deer off them to assure good growth and no damage. I use 4 ft. tall 2" x 4" welded wire fence and stake the cages down. I don't do that to all of the spruce ( too much $$$ and time ), but if I have an area that I want definite survival and rapid growth, I'll fence SOME of them to make it happen. This has worked for me so far. Adding a shot of fertilizer every April sure helps get them up beyond "deer wipeout" size !!!

 

[bueller]

I think I'm gonna try black hills spruce. You here a lot about its drought resistance, which is what I need because of my sandy soil.

I'm thinking of going the same route. Just not thrilled with the slow growth rate they are said to have. We had planted some standard white spruces a few years back and they were starting to look pretty darn good (some nearly 5' tall) until they all died in the 2012 drought.