Will’s Black hills spruce project.

[Eckhoffw]

Here’s a good size Black hills spruce I picked up this fall in the clearance section.
At purchase, the tree is around 3’ tall and 3” at the base.

Purchase price, 30$.
Almost looks like a weeping variation, but the tag didn’t label it as such.

So far, I’ve been only able to keep my birds nest spruces alive. Other varieties I’ve tried, I worked to hard, and killed within a season or so.

This one will hopefully be a project I keep alive long enough to really learn from.

Some cleaning out.

Chopped the top off to this super thick up turned branch.
I’m hoping the chop will provoke some interior budding as it’s pretty bare in there closer to the trunk. I imagine this is due to the lack of light inside. It should get Al lot more now. I can see cutting this back further but…. I’m not sure I want to wait for a wound that big to heal.
The game will be seeing how much one can chase foliage back to the trunk.

I would love to hear what your next move would be on this project.
Repot in spring? Leave it be for a season? Any suggestions are always appreciated.

 

[discusmike]

Probably not the best time to cut branches with winter coming, if it were mine, I would wait to see how the tree responds before insulting the tree anymore

 

[Eckhoffw]

Probably not the best time to cut branches with winter coming, if it were mine, I would wait to see how the tree responds before insulting the tree anymore

Yeah. I haven’t done anything more to it since I got it late August.
Just trying to make a game plan.
Currently it’s in a unheated green house.

 

[Eckhoffw]

After staring at this all winter, I finally decided how I want to proceed.
We will see how this tree handles my abuse.

More branches removed, and some with rough wire to get a better idea.
I used a metal rod to push up the new apex. I then removed some branches not fit for the design.reducing a whorl down to 2 branches with one still directly beneath it.
Some primary wiring.
Live.
On the upside, I didn’t see sap running from any of the cuts. I put paste on ‘em anyway.

 

[Eckhoffw]

That’s it for this tree . To be planted in the ground when the ground thaws. Hopefully it recovers.

 

[Backwardsvg]

Got a similar one with a fat base. Why did you trim before repotting? Trying to decide if I should repot or trim down more this year.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Got a similar one with a fat base. Why did you trim before repotting? Trying to decide if I should repot or trim down more this year.

No reason besides I realized that I wanted to put it in the ground to grow out the new leader. I won’t be doing to much to the rootball besides loosening it up and perhaps combing out he surface roots.

I’m hoping that the work I’ve done will count as one heavy insult for the year. Transplant should not be too much of a stress.
I’ve got a good handle on the design now. If it responds well in the ground, in 2-3 years I’ll begin reducing the roots. That’s the plan anyway!

 

[jszg]

I like the design, and I suspect this variety should be fairly good about back budding. In any case, it's in better shape than mine.

I love spruces, from the way they look to the way they smell- but the sentiment is very much Not mutual...

 

[Eckhoffw]

I like the design, and I suspect this variety should be fairly good about back budding. In any case, it's in better shape than mine.

I love spruces, from the way they look to the way they smell- but the sentiment is very much Not mutual...

I’m in the same boat. I’ve killed more than I’d like to admit.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Lowest branch at the right was removed. I thought about keeping it as a sacrifice branch, but realized I don’t want the trunk to bulge there.

Waiting for the ground to thaw so I cAn plant this somewhere in the Japanese inspired garden I hope to create this year.