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Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Linda from USA asks:	I have wind burn on two plants approx. 6ft high. Is there any way to prune the dead areas and have it green up again, or are they lost. I am desperate for an answer, please help! I know I have to move them, but I hope they will be O.K. Thank you Help Linda with an answer


Cliff Tornow from USA asks:	I have a 20 year old Alberta Spruce that is crowding the porch steps. Can I prune the branches that are encroaching on the concrete of the porch? Will that damage the tree? When is the best time to accomplish this? What is the best tool to use to trim the branches with. There is a railing I need to go over for this task. Help Cliff Tornow with an answer


R Cook from USA asks:	We have 2 (side by side) the tops of the trees and all the branches etc. where the 2 trees meet are all dead and brown. What can we do to save these trees? Help R Cook with an answer


Janice from USA asks:	I have a Dwarf Alberta Spruce tree which I planted approximately 8 years ago but has outgrown the area. Its being crowded by lilacs and I would like to move it to another area. What is the best time to do this? What kind of sun/shade would be appropriate? Help Janice with an answer
KaReN says :	Most trees to best to be moved/planted in the fall. Spruce trees do best in full sun. When digging up the root ball of your spruce, make sure that you are digging big enough to get all of the roots to prevent damage to the root system.


Loren Hollister from USA asks:	We have six alberta spruce , I believe the dwarf type as the tallest is about six feet. Most are in partial or full shade. This year they are turning brown from the bottom up. I have sprayed for insects to no avail. At a local nursery we were told that the life span in our area was only about seven years. I find this hard to believe. We live in the mountains of North Carolina at 2200 feet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. altitude. Help Loren Hollister with an answer
Yourgarden Specialist Marian says :	You live probably in zone 6 or 7. The alberta dwarf spruce can live there easily. Why seven years, it`s strange. Sounds they have spidermites. Instead, try a miticide (or an insecticide, if it`s labeled for spider mite control) when you detect the adults. Repeat as needed but only for a few times, as you may actually aid the spider mites by killing off their predators with the same application you`re doing to try to kill the mites! Don`t forget to follow the directions on the chemical label. Spray the plant thoroughly - mites hide out in all sorts of places, so you have to do a good job. Check once a week and re-treat as necessary.


Patrick Gayton from USA asks:	I have two mature, (5 ft.) subject trees that have out grown there current location. What is the best method to transplant, and when ?? Help Patrick Gayton with an answer


gabriela rodli from usa asks:	I have two dwarf albertas. it is mid july and i decided to prune them so they would look fancy for christmas. they are about 3" (or a litlle less) tall. i am afraid i ruined their looks. the shape i tried for was not spiral, something like this: the bottom is full, then a bare space, full section and another bare space topped with another full section... have i ruined my beautiful trees? thank you Help gabriela rodli with an answer


Charlene Johnston from USA asks:	Last summer I purchased 2 dwarf alberta spruce trees. This spring, both looked healthy, but then in a few weeks, one had lost its bright green color with a few brown spots. Why would one remain healthy and the other turn color? Is there any thing I can do to restore this tree to its bright green color before it totally turns brown and dies? Thanks. Help Charlene Johnston with an answer
Green Zeus says :	Do you see fine,silken webbing in the tree? If so, this is spider mite. They will make the tree yellow. Vigorously spray the tree with water in the early morning for 3 days. If they remain, spray with insecticidal soap.


Vic from USA asks:	I had a dwarf alberta spruce that died off, but only one side of it. I replaced it and the second did the same thing. Could it be something underground? There are 2 others with boxwoods in between in the same area, all doing great. Any ideas? Help Vic with an answer
says :	It might be wind burn.

Green Zeus says :

It could very well be blight caused by fungus--especially since it happened to two trees in the same spot. There are many diseases that can plague spruces so it can be hard to give you the proper answer. Almost every county in every state has an agricultural agency. You can call them and describe the situation to them because the pattern of die off is an important clue. For example, did the die off start at the bottom of the tree and work its way up? Landscape conifers suffer from a lot of stress--not enough water at times and little food. It`s a very good idea to baby your evergreens. You should fertilize them every year--after the threat of killing frost in spring and again in July. You can use something like triple 19 and apply at 1/4 cup per 3 ft. of height. Keeping an evergreen healthy thru fertilization helps them to overcome the many fungal diseases that can strike them. If you see this disease spreading on your trees during wet or humid weather, it is confirmation of a fungal blight disease. In that case, spray with copper fingicide 3 times at 12-14 day intervals,starting when new growth appears in the spring. Be sure to rake up needles, cones and burn them to reduce the fungus. I do this on a constant basis here and I have about 50 evergreens, in order to promote sanitary conditions around them. Good luck--hope this helps you.


Lynn from USA asks:	My dwarf Alberta Spruce is dying. It was planted last spring at the northwest corner of my house. Early this spring I noticed that the foliage was turning brown and dying. I have already lost another one planted at the same time on another corner of my house. It also turned brown and dry. All my other shrubs in the bed are doing great, even the ones planted the same time as the spruces. This spruce did great last year. Could this be moles and if so how would I know. Help Lynn with an answer


Judy from USA asks:	Our Dwarf Alberta Spruce are now over 6 feet tall and we would like to scale them back. Can they be successfully trimmed? Help Judy with an answer
Yourgarden Specialist Marian says :	Yes you can trim them successfully.


Paul from USA asks:	I have 7 Dwarf alberta Spruce that are potted in 2 gallon pots. They are each about 2 feet tall. What will happen if I re-plant them [outside]in a row, speced only 2 or 2.5 feet apart? Will they live and will they form an evergreen hedge? How tall might they grow in this case? I live in Massachusetts. Help Paul with an answer


cherylann bonk from us asks:	I live in Florida (zone 9); what time of year is best to prune my Dwarf Allamanda and how much should I prune? I`d like to keep the height to no more than 3 1/2 feet. Help cherylann bonk with an answer
Yourgarden Specialist Marian says :	The best time for pruning is November. Yes you can do that.


Jo Weissman from USA asks:	I just purchased 2 Dwarf Alberta Spruce which I would like to plant in containers and put outside. How do I do this and when? Should I put stones in the bottom for drainage or drill holes in the container? Should the soil be half peat moss and half potting soil? Should I start putting the plant out little by little to get used to the change in temperature? Or just repot it and stick it outside right away? Help Jo Weissman with an answer
Yourgarden Specialist Marian says :	If you plant them in containers always be sure that there is a good drainage in the pots. Be sure that there are drainage holes in the containers and placing stones at the bottom is also very wise.The soil must be light acid. If it`s very cold outside now you can do little by little so they can get used to those temperature. If it`s not so cold then you can place them right away outside. Protect the Dwarf Alberta Spruce from wind.


Lisa Alsina from USA asks:	I Live in west central florida. I have Allamanda bushes along an eastern location of my yard. It is now January and the leaves are turning yellow. I was told this is normal for this time of the year. They just don`t appear to be thriving. What should I do? Lisa Alsina Tampa Help Lisa Alsina with an answer
Yourgarden Specialist Marian says :	I don�t know how cold the winters are with you but in north florida it�s normal that the bush dies back to the ground in the winter cold and recovers in spring.


Peg from USA asks:	My allamandas to into decline in winter, twice now. Are they affected by temperature (over night in high 30s)? One web site said not to water or fertilize in winter. Is there an explanation for the decline? I thought it was lack of water, but I have irrigation system in that garden bed now, and they are still losing leaves on long stalks. Help Peg with an answer
Yougarden Specialist Marian says :	I don�t know how cold it is at night but I think it�s indeed a temperature problem. The bush allamanda dies back to the ground in the winter cold and recovers in spring if the winter was not to cold. If it�s to cold then it dies.