Norway Spruce Screen Decisions

[homerj1]

Those pics ^^^ look more like spruce bud worm damage

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Commonly referred to as "Needle cast", technical name = Rhizosphaera. Which is a fungal disease of spruce trees that causes needles to turn brown and fall off. Most affected in the humid summers of the North East. I am in South Central PA, Zone 6b (almost 7a) and we will NOT plant Blue Spruce - it's not worth the investment and time. We have turned to Concolor Fir as a replacement.

Thanks for that info. Didn't know what the syndrome was called. How have concolor fir done for you in SC Pa. ?? I'm in SE Pa.

 

[TheGroveEstate]

I’m guessing that’s what’s going on with the tops of these two blues at my house.
View attachment 43760View attachment 43761

This looks like white pine weevil damage to me. They attack the central leader of pine, spruce, and other evergreens...Blue Spruce...The white pine weevil is considered the most destructive insect pest of eastern white pine in North America. This species kills the terminal leader primarily of eastern white pine. Colorado blue, Norway, and Serbian spruces, Scots, red, pitch, jack, and Austrian pines, and occasionally Douglas-fir are also attacked. Trees become susceptible to injury when they reach a height of about three feet. The white pine weevil prefers to attack trees exposed to direct sunlight.

I had the same damage to several of my newly planted 6' Serbian Spruces, and with some TLC you can beat them. Check out this link; https://extension.psu.edu/white-pine-weevil

 

[TheGroveEstate]

Thanks for that info. Didn't know what the syndrome was called. How have concolor fir done for you in SC Pa. ?? I'm in SE Pa.

I currently have 2 Concolor's and plan to get more. One is on it's second Spring and looks amazing (I'll try to post a pic - I'm new to the forum), the other just got planted this Spring. They don't like "wet feet" so make sure they are planted in well drained soil, sunny site (full sun all day is best), and they like air movement. The only thing I noticed (and will be ready for later this year) was slight needle winter wind damage on the South/West sides of the tree. Basically drying winds - my property is always breezy but horribly windy in the winter. We sit on top of a knoll. I'll be trying out some burlap wind protection this year.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Grove Estate -

What type soil do you have there?? County??

 

[TheGroveEstate]

Grove Estate -

What type soil do you have there?? County??

I'm in the North West corner of York County. A stone throw from Cumberland County.
My soil was farmland previously (not sure what was planted, when I purchased it was field grass). Technically (per the perc/probe results) it is described as Legore, which is Silty/Sandy Loam with coarse fragments. Through excavation, I never witnessed any rocks larger than my boot. The soil drains excellent, doesn't hold water (or push water out like clay does). It dries out quickly which isn't great for the turf grasses, but is good for driving equipment/vehicles on, very stable.

Here is a photo of a stormwater seepage pit I was required to install per Township permits...for a shed...insane rules! That pit is almost 6' deep and clear of any rocks. Sidewalls held perfectly.

 

[TheGroveEstate]

Those Black Hills spruce in the pics look good. I thought about trying some here in Pa. - but wasn't sure if they'd do OK here. Slower growing is OK since we have a lot of other spruce (Norways mainly) already growing. I cage any that I - for sure - don't want to lose - others are planted in bulk and I hope for most to be ignored.

I may order some BH spruce and give them a shot.

I think it’s too warm in PA for BHS unless you are in the Northern Counties…and even that may be pushing it. I live in York County, we are zone 6b, just barely (stone throw from 7a). Our hot humid summers might stress BHS too much. That’s why Norways do better in PA.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I think it’s too warm in PA for BHS unless you are in the Northern Counties…and even that may be pushing it. I live in York County, we are zone 6b, just barely (stone throw from 7a). Our hot humid summers might stress BHS too much. That’s why Norways do better in PA.

The Norways I was talking about are up at camp - North-Central Pa. That's where I had thought about planting BHS. It was just a thought - no solid plan.

I'm in the North West corner of York County. A stone throw from Cumberland County.

I worked for contractors at Gladfelter paper mill at Spring Grove in several different years. Also worked at Caterpillar plant - when it was there.

 

[TheGroveEstate]

The Norways I was talking about are up at camp - North-Central Pa. That's where I had thought about planting BHS. It was just a thought - no solid plan.

I worked for contractors at Gladfelter paper mill at Spring Grove in several different years. Also worked at Caterpillar plant - when it was there.

What line of work or Trade are you in?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Industrial & commercial electrician - retired now.

 

[TheGroveEstate]

Industrial & commercial electrician - retired now.

I’m a Union Plumber/Pipefitter (Commercial/Industrial/Institutional). 20 years in, 17 to go

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I worked for I.B. Abele and Jno Z. Barton several times over in York area. You in 520??

 

[Brian662]

I’m a Union Plumber/Pipefitter (Commercial/Industrial/Institutional). 20 years in, 17 to go

I've never heard "institutional" before. What is that in reference to?

22 years in the IBEW here.. 18 left

 

[PatinPA]

The Norways I was talking about are up at camp - North-Central Pa. That's where I had thought about planting BHS. It was just a thought - no solid plan.

I worked for contractors at Gladfelter paper mill at Spring Grove in several different years. Also worked at Caterpillar plant - when it was there.

Ugh, I did a project at that paper mill before in one of their waste water basins. It was 100 deg. with no wind that day. The driller's helper I was working with ended up puking his guts out. We all ran out of water. That smell is nauseating. I could smell it on me for days afterwards.

 

[Tree Spud]

I've never heard "institutional" before. What is that in reference to?

22 years in the IBEW here.. 18 left

Hospitals, schools ....

 

[Brian662]

Hospitals, schools ....

That's kind of what I figured. We just always lumped that in with "commercial".

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Ugh, I did a project at that paper mill before in one of their waste water basins. It was 100 deg. with no wind that day. The driller's helper I was working with ended up puking his guts out. We all ran out of water. That smell is nauseating. I could smell it on me for days afterwards.

Lovely smell, isn't it?? On one of the shutdowns in July, the temperature on the floor of the building was 120 degrees - as documented by a big thermometer on the wall. We were working up at the ceiling running new conduit and feeders for another building. I also worked on the project where Gladfelter was going to make use of its excess steam to generate their own electricity. A guy from Lancaster and I did a lot of the high-voltage terminations for that system. But that smell is everywhere at the plant.

 

[PatinPA]

Lovely smell, isn't it?? On one of the shutdowns in July, the temperature on the floor of the building was 120 degrees - as documented by a big thermometer on the wall. We were working up at the ceiling running new conduit and feeders for another building. I also worked on the project where Gladfelter was going to make use of its excess steam to generate their own electricity. A guy from Lancaster and I did a lot of the high-voltage terminations for that system. But that smell is everywhere at the plant.

The whole town smells like that. I guess you get used to it but it's brutal as an outsider. I was never in the plant. Can't imagine how bad it is in there.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The whole town smells like that. I guess you get used to it but it's brutal as an outsider. I was never in the plant. Can't imagine how bad it is in there.

Inside the plant .... It's HOT - - - VERY HOT. I only had to work inside on that one job - and thankfully it wasn't for long. And you're right - the whole town smells like that. You can tell you're getting near the town when you get a whiff of that smell a few miles away.

 

[TheGroveEstate]

I worked for I.B. Abele and Jno Z. Barton several times over in York area. You in 520??

Yep, Local 520