Trees - Spruce
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  (March) I live in Little Rock, but come from Northern climates, and have always liked the Colorado Blue Spruce. In several places on the UAEX web site, you state that they do not do well in Arkansas, and are susceptible to diseases. However, I noticed at a local nursery a collection of Blue Spruce "fat Albert" varieties, which only grow to 10 to 15 feet. Are these trees more summer-hardy than the taller varieties? It looks like it needs partial sun.

  Whenever I write that a plant doesn't do well in Arkansas, I have a whole host of gardeners who claim to have no problem growing it. But, Blue Spruce is not an easy plant for us to grow. It is native to the southwestern United States -- from Colorado to Utah, including New Mexico and Wyoming. While they can have some heat in these parts, they usually don't have the humidity we have. Blue spruce is only adapted in the higher elevations of Arkansas, and even then it suffers from our heat and humidity. Having said all that, if you still want to try it, plant it in very well drained, amended soil giving it full morning sun and afternoon shade. I can find nothing to indicate Fat Albert is that much better for our area, than any other. Good luck.

  (July) Something is attacking one of my Dwarf Alberta Spruces which I grow in containers on my front stoop. There are cocoon like structures hanging from the branches which seem to be eating the needles. I opening up the cocoon like structure and found a green gooey mesh. What is this and how can I get rid of it. I sprayed an area with bug spray and it seemed to kill them but I don't want to hurt the plant.

  You are being attacked by bagworms. These tiny insects feed on needle typed evergreens and as they feed, they construct the sack out of the host material. They usually feed from around mid-May through mid-June. Bagworms are the larval (caterpillar) stage of a moth that is rarely seen. Only the males develop into typical moths capable of flight. The adult female is grub-like and remains inside the bag until just before she dies. Bagworms overwinter as eggs within bags fastened to twigs. Eggs hatch in May and early June. Almost immediately after hatching, caterpillars begin to spin tiny protective cases or "bags" around themselves. The bags are constructed of silk and needle fragments or leaves. As the bagworm grows, leaf fragments are added to bags which often grow to 2 inches in length by the end of the summer. These bags protect the larvae from predators and insecticides. Adult males emerge from their bags in September as small black, clear winged moths, and fly around locating a female to mate with through the females bag entrance. Female moths are wingless and never leave the bag. After mating, the females can produce 500 to 1000 eggs, which they deposit inside their bag, then die, never leaving the bag. At this stage, spraying is becoming ineffective, if the bags are well formed. Hand pick and destroy the bags before next spring to prevent reinfestation. If your landscape is hit with these insects annually, spraying weekly from May through mid June with Dipel, Thuricide, Sevin or similar insecticide can kill the small larvae before they construct their sacks, and prevent further damage on your plants.

  (November) We have two dwarf Alberta spruce trees planted in our backyard. They are about 1 and 1/2 feet tall and have probably been there about two years. We would like to transplant them into pots for our front porch. Can this be done now or should we wait till spring?

  Alberta spruce trees are not the easiest plant for us to grow, but they are entering their peak season -- fall and winter! Transplanting them now would be easier on these plants than waiting until spring. Summer is their toughest season, and keep in mind that in containers, they will get hotter and drier -- two conditions they would prefer to avoid, so keep up with your watering when they get repotted.

  (December) Will a dwarf Alberta Spruce live and thrive in South Arkansas? The one in the catalogue says it is a potted 4 year old plant to be used as a Christmas tree and then planted in the yard in the spring.

  Alberta spruce trees would not be overly happy in southern Arkansas. They prefer a much cooler climate, and are not overly fond of heat and humidity -- which we have in abundance in the summer time.

  Please give me some information about a dwarf Alberta spruce tree. I would like to plant three in a mostly shady area of the yard. When would be the best time to plant them? I’ve seen them mostly in containers, but am assuming they can be planted in the ground. Thanks for any information you can give me.

  While it is possible to grow many non-native plants in Arkansas, some of them require extreme measures, and still only produce mediocre results. Look at the name alone–an Alberta spruce is native to Alberta, Canada. Their conditions are quite different from ours. Summers here are hard on these northern conifers. It would be much better to choose a plant that does well here without much care, but if you must have one, plant it in the fall in a well prepared site, with organic matter and mulch heavily. Water regularly, especially in the summer, and it must have protection from the hot afternoon sun. Every time I say something doesn’t do well here, someone will point out a Colorado blue spruce, or Norway maple, that have survived and thrived for years -- but they are the exception, not the rule -- otherwise we would see much more of them. Climate does make a difference.

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