Nursery Compendium-03 Norway Spruce Advice

Nursery Compendium by Bailey W.

With the Christmas season comes the annual tradition of putting up a Christmas tree to celebrate. As a beloved tradition, many have taken up buying living trees to plant later as part of their sustainability efforts.

As beautiful as the idea may be, it can be somewhat dangerous. Take, for instance, the Norway Spruce. A popular tree for use inside, these trees, when mature, grow to 60 feet tall. It is one of many evergreen tree species whose root systems are shallow and wide rather than deep and narrow. This can cause problems cracking concrete and upsetting pipes, home foundations, and more. And without other similar trees to entangle their roots with, the shallow root systems leave these tall trees vulnerable to being felled by strong winds. So if you are set on having an evergreen in your yard, be careful where you plant it, and plant at least three trees to help support each other. The trees also require at least six hours of sunlight a day and moist, well-draining soil to grow in. Younger trees may need mulch around the base of the tree to insulate their roots, but Norway Spruce’s are otherwise fine in winter, being tolerant of temperatures as low as -40°F. The hardy trees are highly pest-resistant, though they can become vulnerable when stressed. Watch out for boring beetles and spider mites. Have some very merry planting, and stay safe!