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Growing Dwarf Alberta spruce in Southern Oregon #540327

Asked January 05, 2019, 6:48 PM EST

HI, my sister got some dwarf Alberta spruce trees for Xmas from Costco, in a 1 gal container in Santa Rosa California. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to bring them back to our 160 acre ranch in Tiller to plant. We live at the 3500 ft level. Thank you, MeeMee

Douglas County Oregon

Expert Response

Yes. The Alberta spruce will do well in your area. You can plant it in a 10-gallon container and have a nice Christmas tree for many years. If temps dip into the low twenties, you can shelter it so that the soil in the container doesn't freeze for extended periods. Here are some other growing tips: 

With its compact form and slow growth, Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca "Conica") makes an excellent choice for a container garden. Also known as Dwarf Alberta Spruce, this conifer's mature size is 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, but the tree can be trimmed to keep it smaller. Although the tree can be grown in the ground, it is often chosen as a focal container plant and trimmed into interesting spirals or tidy, inverted cones. Growing an Alberta Spruce in a container is similar to growing one in the ground, but special care must be taken for any container-grown tree to thrive.

Locate a place to keep your potted Alberta Spruce featuring good air flow -- to prevent problems with pests and diseases caused by a buildup of moisture around the plant -- and ideally in full sun, although the plant can tolerate partially shady conditions. Dwarf Alberta spruce trees are not very tolerant of air pollution and salt spray, and they struggle in areas with high heat and humidity.

Place your container in the location you've chosen. Place the container on a plant stand with wheels, allowing you to move it if needed. Alberta Spruces should be protected from heavy winds, so you may need to move your container when a wind storm arrives. Lock or block the wheels until you need to move the container.

Add in enough potting soil to the bottom of your container so that when your Alberta Spruce is set inside, the top of its root ball is 3 inches lower than the rim of the pot.

Remove the tree from its nursery pot if it has one. If the tree has its roots wrapped in burlap, remove the twine that is tied around the burlap, but there is no need to remove the burlap. Center the tree in the container.

Add more potting soil to the container until the root ball is surrounded with soil. Stop adding soil when you get to the top of the root ball. Mulch the soil with a 2-inch top layer of bark dust or bark chips.

Water your Alberta Spruce when the soil below the layer of mulch feels dry to the touch. Give the tree enough water to moisten all the soil; once you see water coming out the container's drainage holes, you've added enough. In hot weather, water the tree daily. Take care not to water your tree too much.

Feed your Alberta Spruce with an all-purpose fertilizer in the spring. Follow all package directions regarding how much food to apply.

Trim your Alberta Spruce in late summer or early fall to maintain its shape or to control its size. With dense foliage, these trees can be trimmed into spirals and other shapes.

 Hope this helps!

Chris Rusch Replied January 06, 2019, 11:14 PM EST

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