# Which evergreen?



## GrizzlyBear (Apr 27, 2003)

We are currently looking to plant pines or some other evergreens along our road frontage to curb some of the poaching problems in the area. Our soil is excellent and has a ph of around 6.5. Considering things like price, growth rate, deer preference (we have a very high deer population and are concerned about the survival of the trees), and hardiness. What do you think is the best choice? Thanks for the help in advance.

-GB


----------



## Bob S (Mar 8, 2000)

Norway Spruce is the fastest growing spruce. The deer shouldn`t eat them.


----------



## mike hartges (Jun 9, 2003)

Ditto what Bob S. said. We planted Norway spruce along our road about 8 years ago. They formed a nice wall that blocks off our field. The bucks will rub Norway spruce in the fall but they don't browse them very often. I'd have to say, Norway spruce has been our most successful evergreen planting. We have a few thousand of them. They provide thermal cover because they retain their lower branches whereas most pine trees will lose their lower branches when the trees get bigger.


----------



## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Another vote for Norway Spruce. Once established they grow between 2-3 ft per year. I've have experienced some winter kill of some needles but never killing the trees itself.

Once use figure out how to use a planting bar, planting large numbers is not a problem. Expect to pay $20+ per 100 or $100 per 1000 for 2 year old seedlings.


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Just like the others, Norway Spruce is a great choice. Fast growers, and will not be browsed. I have planted quite a few white spruce also. In my soil they grow almost as fast. They have a slight blue tint. Norway limbs droop downward with age, White spruce remain horizontal.
I wrapped my acres with Norway spruce.


----------



## rabbit whacker (Jan 22, 2003)

Norway and White Spruce are excellent choices. You might think of doing a mixture.


----------



## DEERSLAYER (Mar 29, 2000)

I was thinking of planting some Norway spruce on my land, but I am not sure if they can take the wet soil. Sometimes there will be an inch or two of water for a couple weeks in the spring and fall. It is not like it is everywhere and were there is water there are little humps a foot or so above the water that stay dry that I thought of planting on. Dose anybody have any experiance with Norway spruce in this situation? Will the wet soil kill Norway spruce or will they thrive in it?


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I have planted hundreds of Norway Spruce. They will not tolerate being under water for a few weeks. I do plant Norway Spruce in seasonal wet areas. You need to look for a small rise, to plant the tree. Even a rise of a few inches above the water will make all the difference. I do this all the time. The rises may be only a foot across, but a few inches above the water line.


----------



## Lenaweebowhunter (Sep 15, 2003)

We have planted Norway spruce for several years and have had good luck, but about 4 yrs ago we discoverd another great fast growing evergreen that is not too popular so far.

We have recently added Ponderosa Pine to our wildlife tree planting program, they grow in about any soild type. the deer seem to leave them alone and in just 4 years in the ground most of them are in the 6 to 8 foot range, these trees were purchased bare root seedlings in the 8-14 inch size. The have very long stiff needles, the bucks will on occationly rub them but not any more than the will on the Norway Spruce.

Just thought Id give you another choice to consider.


----------



## DEERSLAYER (Mar 29, 2000)

Hmmm, it sounds like I might be OK with the Norway spruce if I am carefull. I could make a long narrow trench so I would have a long dry mound (that I got from digging the trench) to plant them into. I wonder if the Ponderosa pine is any better at takeing wet soil?


----------



## halfcore (Nov 11, 2003)

I live on an overgrown xmas tree farm, all blues and norways. They are both very fast growers, and love slightly acidic soil, my ph is 5.5.


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Planting the spruce on a mound like that would work well. I don't know much about Ponderosa Pine, I would find out if the lower limbs are self pruning like the red and white pine.


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I did a little searching on Ponderosa Pine. Looks like a beautifull tree. I would be hesitant on planting them for a border/screen. All the pictures I seen of mature trees, had no limbs on the bottom trunk. Probably similar to White pine. Maybe that only occurs when the limbs are shaded.


----------



## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

I have 500 3-0 Norway spruce comming. I'm going to put them alone the road to stop poaching also. Will 1 row be enough or do I need to put in two rows? I planted some white pines 4 years ago but a lot of them didn't make it. I'm going to put them in where the white's didn't make it. How close togeather should I plant the spruce? Can I trim the roots a little while I'm planting them so not to bunch them up in the hole? Some of the whith pines I planted before was 3-0 and it was hard to put all the roots in the hole that the planting bar made and I think that is the reason some didn't make it. Lack of rain was why I lost most of them tho. I'm also going to plant some in clusters and hope the deer use them to bed in. Any other ideas? Thanks. BOY!!!! I LOVE THE SITE.


----------



## mike hartges (Jun 9, 2003)

Slowpoke, we planted 4 rows of norway spruce along the road 10 years ago. We mowed between the rows for 6 or 7 years. The trees have grown together. We planted them 6 feet apart. As they get bigger, 6 ft soon becomes 0 feet. If you're willing to wait longer for the branches to grow together, you can plant them farther apart. It also helps to stagger the rows to obtain a quicker visual barrier. We also put Miracid on some of our evergreens to give them a boost. It helps.


----------



## Bob S (Mar 8, 2000)

The Missaukee Conservation District suggests a spacing of 6`-7` for spruce.


----------



## DEERSLAYER (Mar 29, 2000)

Sounds like I will stay away from the Pondarosa pine. I want a nice thick visual screen.


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I have spaced my spruce from 8 to 12 feet apart. The trees get huge and they will grow together. But if your looking for a screen, I would plant two rows or more, spaced close. I wrapped my entire 40 acres in spruce. I have two rows 8 foot apart, and offset. One more row would get the job done faster, but that a lot more money and labor.

Make sure you spray roundup around the trees to keep the weeds back, or mow like Michael said. Place an 8 inch diameter pipe over the seedling, then spray around it with a 4 gallon back pack sprayer. I keep a 3 foot circle around my young spruce free of weeds by spraying. The weeds around this are 4 feet tall, and it helps provide some shade so the dirt doesn't dry out as bad from the sun.

I keep a prune shears in my pocket, and trim roots that are too long. It's better to trim the roots, then to have them bend around and grow up, this will kill the tree. There are many schools of thought on trimming roots. Year ago, I bought 100 blue spruce. A Nursery told me to take a shears and cut 1/2 the roots off. He said, it would spur, root growth, just like trimming a tree's limbs. Well the trees did fine, but I am not sure, if that was the best thing to do.


----------



## DEERSLAYER (Mar 29, 2000)

bishs,

How big did your Norway Spruce get in say the first 5 years?


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I plant 1 to 2 foot seedlings, I don't water them, but I keep the weeds under control by spraying. In 5 years my trees will be 6 feet tall. After the third growing season, they really take off. My trees grow two feet or more a year.


----------



## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

bishs; How much Round-up do you put in your 4 gal. back pack sprayer? Good idea on the 8" pipe. I will try that.


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I am tring to remember how much. It seems I use 10 oz per 4 gallons. You can buy 8 dia inch duct at the hardware, three feet long. Its the type that snaps together to make a tube. Then I cut a piece of broom handle 8 inches long. I put a screw through opposite sides of the duct into the dowell. An inch or so from the top. This makes a nice handle.


----------

