The idea of smaller trees is becoming more popular in recent years. This is because most trees like to grow large, so how do you keep a blue-spruce tree small?

Blue spruce trees typically grow 12 inches per year. You should prune your blue spruce tree every year in the late winter/early summer to keep it small. A smaller variety of blue spruce is available, such as the baby blue eyes spruce which can grow 2-3 inches each year.

There are many dwarf varieties of blue spruce. Read on to find out more about the blue spruce, its growth, and what you can do to keep it small and manageable.

Blue Spruce Tree Basics

You must first understand the needs and wants of your blue spruce in order to provide for them.

Requirements Of Blue Spruce Trees

Blue spruce trees require full sun to grow. You need to choose a spot that has adequate sun exposure. If you want your blue spruce to be small, you can use this advantage. You can slow down the growth of your tree by decreasing the amount of sunlight, but not too much.

Blue spruce trees need semi-moist, well draining soil in addition to the sun. You will need to water your blue spruce trees regularly. You will need to make sure that soil has no particulates, such as sand and large organic matter, so water can drain.

Blue spruce trees are able to adapt to dry soils and winds, so they can be used in any environment. You will need to talk to your tree about what it needs in your particular area.

Like other plants, spruces may also like slightly acidic soil and additional nutrients. They do not need them to thrive.

Growth Of Blue Spruce Trees

Blue spruce varieties can be classified as slow to medium growers on average. According to the Utah State University Cooperative Extension data, established bluespruce trees typically grow to 12 inches each year.

Vertical growth comes with horizontal growth. This is something you need to consider if your blue spruce wants to remain small.

This is because if certain factors are not safe for your spruce, such as sunlight or water, your spruce might grow slower and not sustain any damage.

Blue Spruce Tree Roots

It is important to note that spruce trees have both shallow and broad root systems. This information is crucial for fertilizing and watering purposes.

Blue spruce tree roots only penetrate soil 2.5 inches during their first year.

You don’t need to soak the soil under the blue spruce tree in order to water it.

You should prune your blue spruce carefully to keep it small and not stress the roots.

Picking The Right Blue Spruce Variety To Keep It Small

You should also remember to choose a particular variety when choosing small blue spruce. Each blue spruce variety is unique, as are most things. They all have their own attributes, such as size and shape. This allows you to choose the right one for you.

They breed blue spruces which are more easy to care for and better suited to their environment. You can grow them almost anywhere.

You can now choose one of the dwarf or miniature varieties if you want a smaller spruce. These varieties tend to grow slower and are smaller than their counterparts.

Even the dwarf blue spruce varieties are smaller, growing to an average of 5-6 feet in height. This makes them ideal for small spaces and manicured gardens.

6 Steps To Keep Your Blue Spruce Tree Small

We now know what blue spruce trees need and how they behave. Here are some tips and steps to help keep them small.

Blue spruce trees are not tolerant of excessive pruning. They can slow down if they are accidentally pruned too frequently or too often. You can also risk them contracting diseases and infections from their open wounds.

It is a good idea to plan ahead for pruning. To avoid potential damage, slowly remove dead or excessive branches over a prolonged period.

1. Get Your Tools And Plan

To keep your blue spruce small, you must first make sure you have the right tools and a plan for pruning.

You will need a few tools to start pruning your tree.

A hand pruner is an excellent tool. Long pruners, like the TABOR TOR TOOLS Tree Trimmer, are also great tools.

You may want to purchase gloves for sharp branches and spruce needles. These Dowelife work gloves are an example. These gloves are resistant to cuts and have a coating on the palms for grip.

You may also need a larger pole pruning tool, such as the Sun Joe Pole Chain Saw, if your tree is extremely tall. You can reach up to 14 feet with the multi-angle head or extendable pole.

You should also have a plan for pruning your tree. This will help you to plan your pruning so that you don’t trim too much or too little.

Take a picture of your tree and draw some examples of what you might do. Once you have done some thought, you should be able to clearly see what you want. You are now ready to prune your blue sapling.

2. Prune Dead And Large Blue Spruce Tree Branches

Start your pruning process by removing the large and dying branches from your blue-spruce tree.

You can prune off dying branches to give your blue spruce tree more airflow and energy for healthy branches.

These branches can be pruned very closely as they do not pose a threat to the tree. Instead, it is purely for aesthetic purposes.

Also, remove any branches that are too large, especially if they’re in unusual places like near the top. These should be pruned sparingly, and the tree can recover fully.

It is important to note that trees with a diameter between one-third and half of the tree’s trunk are often in competition for the trunk. This could hinder the growth of the trunk which may help to keep the tree smaller.

3. Eliminate Undesirable Branches Off Your Blue Spruce Tree

You should also remove any unwanted branches when pruning your blue spruce. You should remove any branches that are not needed or are unattractive.

As with all pruning rules, it is important to prune sparingly. You should also consider other maintenance methods, such as altering or staking the branches before cutting.

Do this occasionally, not too often.

4. Prune Your Blue Spruce To Create A Small Shape

You will likely need to trim your tree slightly if you are first pruning your blue spruce.

You should have a plan and the right tools to guide you through the process.

You might consider pruning your tree over a longer time period if it is weak or you are worried about damaging it. This will allow you to modify the tree’s shape safely and with fewer risks than if you prune the entire tree at once.

This is the best way to prune your tree for the first time. Blue spruces are known for their taped shapes. They have a smaller, more rounded crown and a wider base. This creates a Christmas tree-like appearance.

If you keep this in mind, your tree should be able to grow as it is.

5. Prune Your Blue Spruce To Keep It Small

It is likely that your tree will grow after you have pruned it for the first time. Pruning can make many trees and plants bushier, especially near growth nodes.

A plan should be in place or you will have an idea of the shape you want to keep.

You may not have pruned your spruce for a while. If this happens, the spruce could have lost its original shape or grown in unusual ways. This could mean that you need to start over and create a new general shape by gradual pruning.

Your spruce should have very little top growth and maybe a few branches that extend from the sides. These can be trimmed over the years to keep the original shape.

If you decide to prune your bluespruce, you should do it seasonally for a long time to maintain its shape and not harm it. Your blue spruce will be at its best when it is in the middle of winter or early spring, as it will have an extended period of optimal growth.

6. Maintain Your Blue Spruce Tree’s Health Over Time

It is crucial to ensure that your tree is healthy beyond the pruning. You must ensure that your tree receives enough water, sunlight, soil, and other essentials every day.

Your blue spruce will show signs of stress if you don’t meet its health needs for a prolonged period. This could include falling or yellowing needles.

It is possible to improve the health of your tree by providing it with compost once in a while and mulching underneath. This will not only improve soil health and nutrition but also retain moisture close to the roots.

Keep your blue spruce trees healthy by reading our guide.

How To Take Care Of Baby Blue Spruces

It is difficult to raise and maintain small blue spruce from seedling to adult.

You might face a variety of issues during this time, including watering, sunlight errors, nutrient deficiencies and weather damage.

You can water your baby blue spruce whenever it looks dry. It is important to plant it in the right place for its sun exposure.

Start your spruce off right with rich soil. This could be new garden soil or fertilizer.

Baby blue spruces can also be affected by weather damage. Many weather events can cause damage to your baby blue spruce, especially when they are young. Be aware of weather events such as snowstorms and lightning, as well as harsh rain.

These weather events can lead to a variety of problems such as snapping branches, losing needles, and even changing the tree’s orientation. These problems are more common in areas that experience frequent storms.

It’s a smart idea to stake or protect your blue spruces in order to avoid these problems. Protect your tree from debris and rain by keeping it covered.

Blue spruces can also be subject to pest damage. This can be small animals like squirrels, deer, and other large animals that damage or eat branches/foliage.

Although artificial pesticides are not advised, there are some options that you can use to address the problem. Repellents can be used to deter squirrels and deer, without actually harming you or your tree.

Maintain Your Blue Spruce Tree’s Shape

Most blue spruce trees can be kept small by trimming and pruning the branches and leaves. This can be problematic as gardeners often have difficulty maintaining a uniform tree shape when pruning.

Artistic Pruning Blue Spruce Trees

It might be more convenient to shape your blue spruce in a particular way. You will likely need to prune your tree if this shape is not the natural growth pattern.

Try different techniques like binding, bending or stake branches. If you do this in a specific direction, it will allow the branches to grow in the desired direction.

Trim Blue Spruce Trees After They Take Shape

The natural shape of the bluespruce is a good choice for most gardeners. They want the tree to be shorter than its natural size.

First, observe how the tree grows naturally. You can then choose the height you would like to reach and trim the rest of your tree from there.

Blue spruce trees tend to have a tapered (or rounded) top with a broad base that almost curves upwards in a conical shape.

That’s A Wrap!

Blue spruces can add a classic touch to any garden. There are many types of blue spruces, each with a different shape and size. This allows them to adapt to all kinds of growing conditions and areas.

Blue spruce growth is not only fast, but also vigorous and has a large root system. These factors are important for understanding what your spruce requires and how to safely prune it.

To keep your blue spruce small there are some important steps you should take. These include creating a plan, getting all the tools needed, keeping the natural shape of the tree, and maintaining a schedule.

Every spruce has its own pruning needs and wants. Have fun trimming!