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Post by badbrad on Apr 24, 2023 8:46:59 GMT -6
I would go with one row of jacks for quick growth and a row of spruce on each side. Plan on taking the jacks out once the spruce start to stretch out. And if the spruce don’t make it, you still have the Jack pine. Make sure the spruce are miss matched in those rows. So based on this ^^. I would only really need two rows at 10' spacing?
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Post by badgerfowl on Apr 24, 2023 9:01:48 GMT -6
I would go with one row of jacks for quick growth and a row of spruce on each side. Plan on taking the jacks out once the spruce start to stretch out. And if the spruce don’t make it, you still have the Jack pine. Make sure the spruce are miss matched in those rows. So based on this ^^. I would only really need two rows at 10' spacing? I just planted two rows of Norway's on 10' spacing. They've been in the ground two weeks but I'm a bit skeptical on how they'll survive. Some have lost quite a few needles already and they don't look great. Not sure what to think yet. I'm going to try white spruce next year. Maybe smaller trees as these 3-4 footers were a pain to plant.
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Post by badbrad on Apr 24, 2023 9:11:26 GMT -6
So based on this ^^. I would only really need two rows at 10' spacing? I just planted two rows of Norway's on 10' spacing. They've been in the ground two weeks but I'm a bit skeptical on how they'll survive. Some have lost quite a few needles already and they don't look great. Not sure what to think yet. I'm going to try white spruce next year. Maybe smaller trees as these 3-4 footers were a pain to plant. For those 3-4' ers wonder if a tractor 3 point post hole auger would work well for making the holes?
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Post by badgerfowl on Apr 24, 2023 9:26:25 GMT -6
I just planted two rows of Norway's on 10' spacing. They've been in the ground two weeks but I'm a bit skeptical on how they'll survive. Some have lost quite a few needles already and they don't look great. Not sure what to think yet. I'm going to try white spruce next year. Maybe smaller trees as these 3-4 footers were a pain to plant. For those 3-4' ers wonder if a tractor 3 point post hole auger would work well for making the holes? It'd be easier than digging with a shovel like we did! Some had pretty long roots. You'd want a decent sized auger for sure.
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Post by badbrad on Apr 28, 2023 12:09:47 GMT -6
So if I do 10’ spacing. How far apart should the two rows be? 5’ ? 10’?
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jun 29, 2023 15:12:09 GMT -6
My BLack Hills Spruce plantings are 100% this year . Not all on sand, but I’m surprised at the success and growth. Still have July & August though !
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Post by honker on Jun 29, 2023 15:23:02 GMT -6
My BLack Hills Spruce plantings are 100% this year . Not all on sand, but I’m surprised at the success and growth. Still have July & August though ! that one looks really healthy for how dry it has been!
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jun 30, 2023 8:17:17 GMT -6
We are short on moisture, but it’s been timely. Some rain each week. The little .2 rains have had an impact !
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windgypsy
Full Member
Posts: 126
Likes: 162
Location: Kanabec, Wright, and Itasca Counties, MN
Zone: 4A / 3B
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Post by windgypsy on Jul 3, 2023 7:39:58 GMT -6
I started planting my spruce screen last spring with 1 gallon potted Norway and Black hills spruce from the Meeker and kandiyohi SWCD tree sales. My research suggested going potted would result in better survival and trees that are quicker to start putting on growth. I think I paid $8.50 per NS and $10 per BHS 1 gal last year. I think they were $12 this spring. Some observations thus far: - Many of the norways looked pretty brown this spring coming out of winter but they look great now and are putting on more growth than the BHS - The BHS looked a better last summer into this spring - greener and thicker looking From research and not first hand experience: - Norways are more prone to winter damage their first 1 or 2 winters than BHS which lines up with my observations through 1 year. - Being a member of white spruce family, BHS should be more susceptible to rhizosphaera needle cast although not as bad as blue spruce. I have some huge spruce blocking my house from a county hwy that are falling victim to this so it holds some weight with me - BHS seem to grow in thicker so would be a better screen once mature I used a 4'x4' weed mat and welded wire cage on nearly all of them. There was barely any browse on the BHS that didn't get protected on my hunting land while both BHS and NS got browsed pretty good in my yard that's just outside of city limits. The trees i didn't use a weed mat on look like they are fighting to survive while the weed matted trees are mostly putting on healthy growth. I was told that it made sense to spend more money/time as I could on fewer nice trees rather than go for a high # of unprotected cheaper trees that were more likely to fail or get browsed/rubbed to death and I agree with that path now. badbrad it looks like you've got a great canvas to start with compared to the thick RCG Sod mat i started most of mine in. Between NS and BHS my gut feeling is that the choice is more on if you want a screen faster go norways, if you want one that is little thicker and not as tall when mature (less shade on plot), go BHS. Seems like your soil should be good for either.
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