How to Plant 5-Foot Blue Spruce

Blue spruce trees are native to the United States. They thrive near the central and southern Rocky Mountains but can survive in a number of climates and have medium drought tolerance. Their long lifespan of up to 600 years and their ability to grow up to 100 feet make the slow-growing blue spruce a desirable choice for a large lawn. Blue spruce trees retain their leaves year-round and have their most productive growth during spring and summer. You can grow blue spruce, which are named after the color of their foliage, from seeds, cuttings, bare roots or containers.

Shovel
Hose
3 Y-shaped supports

Instructions

- 1
  Buy a 5-foot blue spruce from a local nursery or plant shop.
- 2
  Review your chosen location for the tree. Look up to make sure there are no power lines or other tree branches to obstruct the tree's growth. Make sure your planting spot gives the tree plenty of room to expand.
- 3
  Dig a hole about as deep as the pot or burlap bag holding the plant. Make the width of the hole 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball. Trickle water over the soil in the hole to moisten it.
- 4
  Turn the tree on its side, and gently slide the root ball from the plastic pot. You might need to cut the sides of the pot and tap the bottom to ease the root out.
- 5
  Plant the root ball in the hole. Gently loosen the roots and spread them apart. When the tree is standing straight, the top of the roots should be about even with the ground's surface.
- 6
  Fill in the hole with dirt removed to make the hole.
- 7
  Spread about 3 inches of mulch around the base of the tree to preserve moisture and prevent weeds.
- 8
  Water the 5-foot tree once a week for the first few weeks after planting. If the weather gets extremely dry and hot, continue to water the tree until temperatures cool. Blue spruce trees have a medium resistance to drought, but newly planted trees need more moisture as they adapt to their environment.
- 9
  Stake three Y-shaped tree braces near the base of your tree. If your area gets strong winds or storms, it's important to stabilize the tree to keep it from blowing over. The tree will be less vulnerable as the root system develops; mature blue spruce trees have root depth of about 18 feet.

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