14 - Fricay, August 36, 4991 - North Shore News HOME & GARDEN Allow sufficient space to plant spruce trees MANY HOMEOWNERS oiten plant young spruce trees with litte or no regard for how large the trees will be in just a few short decades. It doesn’: matter whether it be one of the much sought after blue spruce, or the one of the lesser- known white, Norway or Siberian spruce. ATE of these (which are hardy in most of Canada) will easily attain 12 to 25 metres (40-80 ft.) in height, with a spread ap- proaching three metres (ten ft.). The popularity and beauty of the blue spruce seems to cause in- experienced homeowners to plant the small trees in areas where their growth will be restricted after only a few years. The difficulty comes in that there is almost no way that the growth can be restricted, unless the homeowner is willing to undertake a severe clipping regi- mien on the new growth each and every year. Since the latter does not happen, the most common scenario is for the larger lower branches to he chopped off in order to regain access to a walkway, driveway, or the en- trance to the house itself. This is where the trouble for the trees begins. It is most important when planting not only spruce trees, but other large trees whether evergreens such as fir and pine, or deciduous trees such as maples and oaks — that sufficient room be allowed for the trees to achieve their full growth. The Canadian Garden Council advises that an inquiry to your garden centre should bring a close estimate as to just what ultimate size the tree you have chosen may be expected to achieve in your urea. By the way, if vou are presently considering planting a blue spruce tree, there are several types avail- able. The most common is ihe Coiorado blue spruce (Picea Pungens “Glauca’’). These vary ia color considerably, and through the winter months, retain more of a green than blue color. Ht is zen- erally the most economical variety to purchase. The oldest of the *treal blue’ blue spruces is Koster (Picea pungens **Koster'’}. Its ma- jor drawback has been a tendency to have a crooked main stem that needs to be staked upright for the first few years. The Koster spruce, though still very much available, has now been superseded by at least two other varieties you may want to check out at vour garden centre: Hoopsi blue spruce (Picea Pungens ‘*Hoopsii'') and Moerhein blue spruce (P. p. **Moerheimi'’). Both of these have a@ much better conical shape, straight main stem, and excellent silver blue needle color, throughout the entire year (al- though the color is at its best in June). A common habit of homeown- ers, once a spruce achieves a large size, is to remove the lower bran- ches. Often this is done to ac- commodate access around the tree because it was planted too close to a walk or driveway. But some- times, it’s done just because it’s thought to be the ‘‘thing to do.’’ Even many professional ‘‘land- Forest tours offered Learn about resource mianage- ment in B.C. by taking a one and a half hour guided walking tour through the Seymour Demonstration Forest every FIREPLACE FREE GOLD PLATING on selected Woadstoves. Wood Fireplace Inserts, efficiency Fireplaces August 15 - Seprember 6 Sce us today replace Products itd. ain St., North Van High § Joe’s Fire 1394 984-4059 WOODSTOVES GAS FIREPLACES Sunday (until Oct. 14) at noon and 2 p.m. Every other Sunday (the next is Sept. 8) an extend- ed three hour tour, beginning at noon, is offered. PNE SPECIAL PRODUCTS s & Gas Inserts 251-7654 seapers”’ are guilty of this. If this “pruning up’ can be avoided, it should be at whatever the cost. According to the Canadian Garden Council, one of the prob- lems that affects older spruce trees iso ao canker disease known as Cytesnora. dt occurs generally on alder branches at the interior of the trees. One of the best) methods of avoiding the disease is to beep older trees in a healthy state. An important way of doing this is to ensure that all of the lower bran- ches remain on the tree. removing only dead or dying limbs. It is likewise important to leave all of the old needles, which annually fall from the tree. beneath the branches. This material acts as a naturzl! mulch both keeping the surface roots coal and moist, and maintaining an acid sot! condition which the trees prefer. Though the aforementioned care is the optimum, most home- owners do just the opposite by cutting away the lower limbs and removing all the valuable old nee- dle mulch. The Canadian Garden Council says do your spruce trees a favor: leave the needle mulch intact and don’t remove the lower branches from the trees either. The canker disease is most easi- ly noted on the interior branches near the trunk where exudations of sap with a white cottony ap- pearance are evident. The only solution is the sterile removal of all dead branches ex- hibiting this appearance. After each cut dip the saw or pruners in alcohol to prevent spreading the disease. Some even recommend treating each cut on the tree with a sterilant such as wood alcohol. The removed branches should ei- ther be burned or disposed of as garbage — and not composted. You'll find us | ALL WEST INSURANCE f i600 MacKay Avenue, N.Van. ve Moved across Stop in and see us for all insurance needs. 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