Norway Spruce Screen Decisions

[sandbur]

Meeker county now has the 2022, form up on their website. Some really nice big black hills spruce and 2 gallon white pines that are new this year. If there is something additional requested Joe might be able to help you get it. He is getting me 2 gallon white cedar, 2 gallon austrian pine, and a dozen red pines. Im gonna get a few more BHS, some crab apple, and maybe a bundle of dogwood.

https://www.co.meeker.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/5650/2022-Tree-Order-Form

A decade or more back, the lady running our local SWCD tree sales found a bundle of dolgo seedlings for me. That was one of the Best Buy’s I ever made.

You can now buy dolgo seedlings for rootstock and just plant them as is. These are far better than the flowering crabs that are often offered, IMO, and in my climate/Soils.


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[4wanderingeyes]

I have a few Dolgo trees planted, they all produced early, and I have had decent crops from them as a young tree. These were all grafted trees though. But I have an area I think would work good to randomly plant 20 or so seedlings and see what becomes of them. For the cheap cost of seedlings it is worth the chance. Now I just need to find some Dolgo seedlings somewhere.

 

[sandbur]

I have a few Dolgo trees planted, they all produced early, and I have had decent crops from them as a young tree. These were all grafted trees though. But I have an area I think would work good to randomly plant 20 or so seedlings and see what becomes of them. For the cheap cost of seedlings it is worth the chance. Now I just need to find some Dolgo seedlings somewhere.

Check with Bluehill after he is done grafting and see what he has left.

At one time, that nursery in North Dakota used to sell them. I think it was called LincolnOaks or similar.

Or grow your own!


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[BuckSutherland]

A decade or more back, the lady running our local SWCD tree sales found a bundle of dolgo seedlings for me. That was one of the Best Buy’s I ever made.

You can now buy dolgo seedlings for rootstock and just plant them as is. These are far better than the flowering crabs that are often offered, IMO, and in my climate/Soils.


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I was hoping to get the red splendor crabs for grouse food..... What do you think??

 

[rocksnstumps]

Bit off track from spruce but the red splendor crabs make great winter birdie food. Cheap to buy a bunch of seedlings. Another variety touted by some of the michigan crowd was zumi crab for grouse. They just like red splendor can have an occasional tree that gets a bigger crab like 1" that deer might eat also.

 

[sandbur]

I was hoping to get the red splendor crabs for grouse food..... What do you think??

They use them where I live.


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[Tree Spud]

I was hoping to get the red splendor crabs for grouse food..... What do you think??

I would consider the Siberian Crabs. Malus Baccata ... cold hardy and good producer for birds.

 

[sandbur]

They also use my Manchurian crabs.


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[rocksnstumps]

According to wiki, siberian crab and manchurian crab are common names of the same tree malus baccata.

Back when our local chapter of nwtf did shrub distribution signups for members they had red splendor, siberian (manchurian), and sargent crabs. I planted lots over the last 20+ yrs. I like the red splendor and siberian the best as they make a full size tree with edge probably going to siberian for size. Sargent is a natural dwarf and more consistent to only the pea size fruit for me.

I would rate the red splendor gets the most consistent use by all species every year as they are a red fruit which maybe is more attactive.

Some of the more yellow siberian fruit must be really bitter and are more late winter or hard winter use only. My self named EMS (emergency meal supply) crab is a siberian seedling of this type.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Now back to spruce.

4weyes. Did you ever make a determination on what kind of spruce you have naturally occurring? Still placing bets on white.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Now back to spruce.

4weyes. Did you ever make a determination on what kind of spruce you have naturally occurring? Still placing bets on white.

I have no clue. I suck at identifying trees and shrubs.

A few things, the needles are round, if I tear the needles apart, they smell like pine-sol. I have many of them on my property, and I have never seen a deer browse any of it.

I have a few bigger trees in the same area? And I was looking for pine cones to check sizes, I didn’t find any. I would assume the pine cones are smaller, since some would fall in my back yard, and I don’t ever recall seeing any.

I even had my wife smell them, and she said it smells like evergreen. The needles, if I wrap my hand on the branch, and pull away from the tree, they don’t poke me at all, but if I push into the tree, stiff and they will poke you.

I was hoping someone would come back and tell me what I had, because I am clueless.

 

[sandbur]

According to wiki, siberian crab and manchurian crab are common names of the same tree malus baccata.

Back when our local chapter of nwtf did shrub distribution signups for members they had red splendor, siberian (manchurian), and sargent crabs. I planted lots over the last 20+ yrs. I like the red splendor and siberian the best as they make a full size tree with edge probably going to siberian for size. Sargent is a natural dwarf and more consistent to only the pea size fruit for me.

I would rate the red splendor gets the most consistent use by all species every year as they are a red fruit which maybe is more attactive.

Some of the more yellow siberian fruit must be really bitter and are more late winter or hard winter use only. My self named EMS (emergency meal supply) crab is a siberian seedling of this type.

I thought they might be the same.


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[jsasker007]

It was only after I planted black hill spruce everywhere that I realized I like the look of the Colorado blue spruce better than the black hills. Places that I can see my evergreen trees from the house I am putting in one row of Colorado Blue spruce for view. The Blue seems to grow just as good and is a fuller/thicker tree.

 

[sandbur]

It was only after I planted black hill spruce everywhere that I realized I like the look of the Colorado blue spruce better than the black hills. Places that I can see my evergreen trees from the house I am putting in one row of Colorado Blue spruce for view. The Blue seems to grow just as good and is a fuller/thicker tree.

In my climate and on my soils, blue spruce get a disease where they loose their needles on lower limbs. I think the other spruce have just a bit more resistance.

We really need advice from a forester on this.


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[Buckly]

I planted a good number of blue spruce and some in the yard as decorative trees. They definitely lose lower limbs as they age and there is a disease around here anyway where all the blue spruce are dying. Not just the bottoms, all the way up and I see it everywhere. They are no doubt the best looking spruce but, for disease resistance and longevity I would go with another spruce.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I planted a good number of blue spruce and some in the yard as decorative trees. They definitely lose lower limbs as they age and there is a disease around here anyway where all the blue spruce are dying. Not just the bottoms, all the way up and I see it everywhere. They are no doubt the best looking spruce but, for disease resistance and longevity I would go with another spruce

Blues are having a disease infect them. I don't remember the name of the disease, but around here it causes the needles to turn rusty brown and then the trees die. I haven't planted ANY blue spruce for that reason - but I like the color a lot. I hope science comes up with a treatment for the disease.

 

[homerj1]

Browning needles in spruce trees

Trees that are stressed from drought, poor planting practices, or other factors are more likely to suffer from needle cast.

extension.umn.edu

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Yeah, I had read recently that the U of MN recommends against planting colorado blues in MN due to disease and especially in groups or rows.

 

[ruskbucks]

In my climate and on my soils, blue spruce get a disease where they loose their needles on lower limbs. I think the other spruce have just a bit more resistance.

We really need advice from a forester on this.


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Blues in se WI are getting hit hard with that disease. Thirty years ago when my old man bought our property we planted a couple hundred trees. I was battling with him because I like the blue spruce the best and wanted to plant just rows of them. Dad wanted a natural look and bought every different pine and spruce he could get. I'm glad he didn't listen to me because I have been cutting all our big dying blue spruce down the last 4 years.

 

[BuckSutherland]

I wouldn't take a blue spruce if you gave it to me. Pretty much a garbage tree from everything I have seen. Every blue spruce I see looks sick and pathetic.