Too Late to Plant Evergreens??

[NorthBrook]

I'd like to plant five 3-4 ft blue spruces before winter. I live in Milwaukee and we've had 40-50 degree average temps. I'd love any opinions or thoughts. Love the forum.

[Stonehenge]

Hey, good to see someone from Wisconsin. Welcome aboard. I'll let some of the more accomplished members answer this, but I will volunteer that for me, as long as the ground is still soft (unfrozen), we'll still plant.

[dan deutekom]

As long as it is proper nursery stock and not a transplanting job I plant as long as I can get a shovel into the ground. I have even planted nursery stock using a jackhammer to get through the frost in early January! Not recommended but every thing grew and we managed to get that last job done.

[jwholden]

I have even planted nursery stock using a jackhammer to get through the frost in early January! :huh:

I'm with the as long as the ground is not frozen and you have healthy nursery stock go for it crowd. Two or three inches of mulch is great as well to regulate soil temperatures.

[NorthBrook]

Thanks for all the great advice.

[Paul]

I'll add one thing here, I don't like to plant evergreens this late in the fall. If it was me doing the planting and I had to do it: #1 plant them and water them in real well. #2 cover with 3" of mulch about 1' wider than the drip line. #3 plan on watering them during the winter.

[agla]

Also, make sure you water them in well to get good soil contact to keep water movement from the surrounding soil into the root ball over the winter. It won't hurt to apply an antitranspirant (wiltpruf).

[AZTLANLC]

Agla, somebody mentioned to me that applying antitranspirant would fade the color of the tree. Is this true?

Since we're in blue spruces, quick Q. What kind of fertilizer can I use this time of the year to boost this trees, I planted 30 last year about this same time of year, 1 looks like is dying, the others look good but I want to make sure they don't die shorthly after my warranty has expired

[agla]

You are right about the color fading on Blue Spruces (oops, lost track that we were talking Blue Spruce). They get their blue from a white powdery coating that would not look so blue with a waxy coating.