I planted three Norway spruces last year. They have partially defoliated. What could have caused this? I do see some black on the end of the stems. Is that natural? What else should I look for?
It sounds like they may have needle cast. It is a fungus that attacks spruces. This article may help:
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/cpr/forestry/needle-cast-diseases-of-spruce-diagnosis-and-treatment
How long can I expect a spruce tree to live?
Lifespans of trees vary, depending on the species and variety. Other things, like disease and damage can also shorten a tree's life.
For most of the common spruces (Blue spruce, Norway spruce, White spruce), you can expect 150 - 200 year lifespan on average - though some have lived far longer - 800 or 900 years is not unheard of. There is even a documented case of a Norway Spruce that is thought to be 9,950 years old.
I have a small Spruce tree (15-20 feet in height, trunk is about 8-inch diameter) that fell from the weight of snow and wind. About half of the root system is still in the ground. The tree appears to still be alive. Can this tree be saved?
I would go ahead and set it back into the ground. It will need lots of water to help it re-grow roots and you may want to prune back some of the branches to help offset the loss of the roots. Also, use a high phosphorus fertilizer on the tree. This will encourage root growth.
We had a blue spruce removed. It was a very old and diseased tree. Many plants we put there have died. A dogwood and crape myrtle both died. A rose and ornamental grass lived, and the lilac bush is doing well. Any ideas on other plants that would grow good there? Did the pine cause the soil to be acidic?
I would have the soil tested. Pine trees can make the soil acidic, but more likely there is a disease (which killed the blue spruce) that is lingering in the soil that affects trees.
I bought a baby blue spruce yesterday. It is about 3 1/2 feet tall and is in a 3-5 gallon container. The top of the soil felt dry to the touch. I watered it slowly with the hose. I am planning to plant it in the ground in the next couple of weeks. What is the proper watering procedure until I get it planted?
When you are planting a tree in a container you are making that tree totally reliant on you for nutrients and water. Make sure that you regularly feed your tree once a month with a water based fertilizer or once every three months with a slow release. In hot weather, you will most likely need to water once, maybe twice a day. Even drought tolerant trees will need to be watered frequently.
I had to dig up my spiral Alberta spruce and replant it. It looks like it's dying because the bark is brittle and falling off. It is all brown, no green at all but some of the branches aren't so brittle. They are a little red and don't snap in half easily. Is there anything I can do to try to bring it back to life? It is just now spring. Should I give it a few weeks to see any life?
It's probably in shock from the transplanting. If it's not too far gone and with some TLC, it should bounce back. The following articles should be of some help to you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/what-does-a-dying-tree-look-like-signs-that-a-tree-is-dying.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/learn-how-to-avoid-and-repair-transplant-shock-in-plants.htm
If I was to make a homemade recipe for weed control (using vinegar mostly 90%, 2% rubbing alcohol, 2% soap, and 4% bleach) and was to spray under mature spruce or pine trees for grasses, would this have any affect on my trees? Hate to spray for grass and kill my trees. Most trees now are in the 20' range. I used to use Round-up for all my grass control, but now it is banned in Ontario, Canada.
These articles will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/how-to-kill-grass-naturally-kill-unwanted-grass-in-your-yard.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/homemade-pet-friendly-weed-killer.htm