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I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. We purchased this tree in may of this year and it was expensive. So any help in saving it will be much appreciated.
1. watering: The root ball (container) has a very loamy soil and the soil around the root ball is much more clay based so the root ball dries quick and the soil around the plant stays moist much longer???
2: It is positioned as to recieve afternoon sun, morning shade. We did have a very hot summer here and I believe a little bit is sun scorch. temp. close to 100. but past few weeks cooled to 80's and it still worsens.
When we bought this tree it was so full lush and green. Now it is half as thick due to branches dying underneath. and brown. Please help
How distressing, to have such a wonderful tree not do well.
You live in Sunset Climate Zone 3A (judging from my edition of Sunset's Western Garden Book), and Norway Spruce (Picea abies or P. excelsa) is supposed to do well in that zone, according to Sunset.
Unfortunately, Sunset also says this in the intro paragraphs on Spruce/Picea in general:
"Spruces generally grow best where summers are cool or mild; they will not thrive in heat and humidity. ... In Rocky Mountain states, spruces may be bothered by spider mites and tussock moths."
However, Sunset also says of P. abies/excelsa: "Extremely hardy and wind resistant; tolerates heat and humidity better than most spruces."
So it may be that the heat this summer has stressed the tree, or maybe some critter or disease is attacking stressed trees in SLC.
Can you take a couple more pictures of the tree, close-ups of branches and bark, and show them to the people where you purchased the tree? Their professional judgment (or that of an arborist) would probably give you better advice, and more quickly, than we can here.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
You live in Sunset Climate Zone 3A (judging from my edition of Sunset's Western Garden Book), and Norway Spruce (Picea abies or P. excelsa) is supposed to do well in that zone, according to Sunset.
Unfortunately, Sunset also says this in the intro paragraphs on Spruce/Picea in general:
"Spruces generally grow best where summers are cool or mild; they will not thrive in heat and humidity. ... In Rocky Mountain states, spruces may be bothered by spider mites and tussock moths."
However, Sunset also says of P. abies/excelsa: "Extremely hardy and wind resistant; tolerates heat and humidity better than most spruces."
So it may be that the heat this summer has stressed the tree, or maybe some critter or disease is attacking stressed trees in SLC.
Can you take a couple more pictures of the tree, close-ups of branches and bark, and show them to the people where you purchased the tree? Their professional judgment (or that of an arborist) would probably give you better advice, and more quickly, than we can here.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17