Pruning a blue spruce

Question

I have a blue spruce about five feet tall. It is growing well, but at the four-foot level there is a bare space of about one foot where no branches have grown. Now it is growing a top notch above the blank space. Is there a way I can prune it to force growth in the blank space?

Answer 1

Pinching back new growth on candles in spring will encourage the tree to push out further new growth throughout the rest of the growing season. I would also recommend a deep root feeding in early spring to give your tree a boost. Just a note: Blue Spruce require full sun. Shading or too much moisture on any part of the plant can encourage a disease called needle cast, in which needles turn a purplish-brown and die back. Bare areas on the tree can be an early sign.