Black hills spruce

I just ordered some Norway and BHS from Schefield Seed to try growing my own. Any good tips for starting spruce from seed?

In the 60’s I started some blue spruce from seed in a box. It seems like I sewed them in the fall and they emerged in the spring.


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In the 60’s I started some blue spruce from seed in a box. It seems like I sewed them in the fall and they emerged in the spring.


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I just planted them in pots in the basement. We’ll see how they do with a head start this winter. Schofield’s instructions said no stratification required
 
Wow. Went to order from cold stream but shipping was $142. Might have to re think this


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Shipping was the reason I didnt order through them as well. Check Paint Creek. Prices were cheaper, and shipping was a third.
 
Shipping was the reason I didnt order through them as well. Check Paint Creek. Prices were cheaper, and shipping was a third.

Okay thanks


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This is a windbreak/screen of blac hills spruce that were planted the spring of 2008. They were potted trees and I planted two rows of them. I did not give any protection against winter burn and they are on a southern exposure. It seems like we had some high snowfall years which might have protected them.

On the far left are some white spruce that were planted around 2000. There are a few scattered white spruce in the tag alders behind the black hills spruce.


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^^^^You've been holding out on with this fantastic looking screen. What size pots at planting and what's the average height today?? They look really good considering how light your soil is in that neighborhood. I dont think Norways would look that good at all.
 
Tremendous line of spruce!!! GREAT JOB. If they don't block the wind - nothing will. Deer have to love them.
 
6afe71d4da62ec7bd474eee4fc426878.jpg

This is a windbreak/screen of blac hills spruce that were planted the spring of 2008. They were potted trees and I planted two rows of them. I did not give any protection against winter burn and they are on a southern exposure. It seems like we had some high snowfall years which might have protected them.

On the far left are some white spruce that were planted around 2000. There are a few scattered white spruce in the tag alders behind the black hills spruce.


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Did you do anything to keep the deer off of them or just let them go?
 
Did you do anything to keep the deer off of them or just let them go?

Deer seldom bother any spruce here. We did have low deer numbers at that time.


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^^^^You've been holding out on with this fantastic looking screen. What size pots at planting and what's the average height today?? They look really good considering how light your soil is in that neighborhood. I dont think Norways would look that good at all.

Heck if I remember. I think they were just less than knee high and about 5$ each. I drove to New London or Spicer to pick them up.

The deer do use this area behind the spruce. There is a waterhole back there and some bedding islands out in the wetland.


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Tremendous line of spruce!!! GREAT JOB. If they don't block the wind - nothing will. Deer have to love them.

Just as important to block the view of Fudd from the road as anything else. In my neighborhood its a disaster when Fudd can see into your property. Lots of pressure from the gravel roads.
 
Just as important to block the view of Fudd from the road as anything else. In my neighborhood its a disaster when Fudd can see into your property. Lots of pressure from the gravel roads.

It would be nice to have a screen along the road ditch, but the field is so long and narrow that a screen would cut into farmable acres.


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Deer seldom bother any spruce here. We did have low deer numbers at that time.


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That's an awesome screen!
 
Deer seldom bother any spruce here. We did have low deer numbers at that time.


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I lied. 11 came by the house on their way to the corn plot. One ate a few apples and then took two nibbles off a bhs in my yard. He decided the corn was better.


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Just as important to block the view of Fudd from the road as anything else. In my neighborhood its a disaster when Fudd can see into your property. Lots of pressure from the gravel roads.
YEP!! About 25 years ago my son and I planted a screen of Norway spruce along the mountain road that goes across the entire mountain. They've made a living wall to block road-shooters from seeing up into a logged are we cut back then. Several other camps have done the same, and road-shooting has dropped off BIG-TIME across our mountain.

I don't think light can get through Sandbur's BHS rows!!
 
Any input on shade tolerance of Black Hills vs White Spruce? These would be in a part sun / shade location.

Thanks!
 
Any input on shade tolerance of Black Hills vs White Spruce? These would be in a part sun / shade location.

Thanks!

I would plant white spruce in the shade as they grow faster and might have a chance of topping the competition, especially if you release them in a few years.

When I have done that in tag alders, they lose their lower limbs, but do attract deer after leaf fall.

Tags surrounding a spruce or two are great.


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Has anyone tried Black Hills Spruce in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri? That area? I’d like to plant 20 in Western Iowa, wondering how they will do ?
 
Has anyone tried Black Hills Spruce in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri? That area? I’d like to plant 20 in Western Iowa, wondering how they will do ?

Have 5 on order, I'll let you know how they work out!
 
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