Blue Wonder Spruce Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on May 24, 2022

Planting instructions

Choose a site for your Blue Wonder spruce tree that gets at least four hours of sunlight a day, with soil that drains well. Unpot your sapling, teasing out any encircling roots, which will eventually girdle the tree and can kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Place the tree in the hole, and, while holding it upright and steady, fill in around it with good-quality topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, such as bark chips, to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth.

Watering and nutrients

For roughly the first month after planting, water your Blue Wonder spruce every other day. When you start to see new growth on the tree, cut back to once-a-week watering unless your weather is very hot and dry, in which case you may need to water it twice a week. By its second year, your tree should be established, and thus will not need supplemental watering. Your tree doesn’t need fertilizing if it’s planted in fertile soil, but if you wish, you can give it a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring, such as a 10-10-10 formula.

Pollination

Spruce trees carry both male and female cones — which they have instead of flowers. Male cones emit pollen, which travels on the breeze to the female cones, eventually yielding seeds. These seeds will drop to the ground, where they are dispersed by the small animals that use them as a food source.

Pruning

Your Blue Wonder spruce tree doesn’t need regular pruning. It should achieve a naturally pleasing conical shape on its own. You should cut out any broken, diseased or damaged limbs when you see them, but other than that, you shouldn’t need to do any significant pruning.

Pests and diseases

Keeping your tree healthy is the best way to help it resist insect pressure or disease. Common insects that may be attracted to your tree include bagworms and gypsy moths. A healthy Blue Wonder spruce tree should be able to fend off all but the most severe infestations. The most common disease of spruce trees is needle cast disease, a fungal illness that causes foliage to die and drop off. A fungicide may help, unless the disease is too far advanced.

Achieving maximum results

Unlike most spruce trees, the Blue Wonder spruce is an excellent container plant. Choose a pot for your plant that is about twice the size of the root ball, with good drainage in the bottom. Plant the tree in good-quality potting soil, and place it in a sunny spot. The key factor with container-grown plants is to remember that they may need more supplemental water and feeding than plants grown in the ground. To know if your container-grown spruce needs water, take a look at the soil 2 inches below the surface. If it’s dry, give the tree a good drink. Regular fertilizing with a balanced product designed for landscape trees and shrubs throughout the growing season is also recommended.

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