A little yellow you say.

Leave it be (will outgrow Juniperus virginiana). Very attractive.

Dax

I agree with Dax. This yellowing is in all likelyhood not a problem. If the needles start dropping off in large numbers before bud break, then you may have a problem.

Also, I would not do anything to really acidify your soil (the mulch is fine)unless you know that the soil has a high pH. There is a myth out there that pines and spruces need a really strongly acid soil. This is false. In fact both pines and spruces benefit from a good amount of calcium in the soil. The soil acidity requirements of pine and spruce can vary depending on the texture and amount of nutrients in the soil, but in general I think a Norway would do very well with a soil pH between 5 and 6. To be honest, I really don't know how they would do if the soil is really close to neutral, but soils like that are relatively rare where I have had any experience. I would say that if the pH is below 4.5 you are running a risk of less than optimum growth. Norway spruce also benefits from a good amount of magnesium, but I am not sure just what would amount to a deficiency.

If you do a soil test and find your pH is below 5, I would sprinkle some high magnesium crushed limestone around the tree.

Norway spruce and blue spruce do very well here in the Winchester, VA area where most of our soils formed over limestone. But most of these soils are moderately acid.

--Spruce

Thanks all...I'm thinking of buying a soil tester. Our property near our house was once an old apple orchard and I for the life of me can't figure out how. It is so sandy and gravelly, almost sterile. Just 3-4" of dark earth amd then gravel, sand, and tons of fist sized rocks. I appreciate the info of the myth that evergreens need acidic soil and that mulching, no matter what kind, is the true key to a young transplant's success. Strangely enough, our 15 year old sugar maples which we inherited are doing great even though the soil is also so sandy and rocky where they were planted. I always think of them thriving in more moist loamy soils. Would it be safe to say that well drained soils are a tree lovers best friend? My father in law who is a farmer says that most trees grow well in sandy conditions.

Yah, you're definitely fine to grow trees.

Dax

Well, lets be clear--I did not say pine trees do not need acidic soil. I would not say that as a general statement. The point I was trying to make is that they don't need "strongly acidic soil." A pH of 7 is neutral. Now I admit I am guessing to some extent, but I think most pines and spruces will do very well in a soil with a pH between 5 and 6 (moderately acid, emphasis on the moderate). If you are in the range of 4.5 to 5, I think you are OK, but a little crushed limestone could be a benefit. If you are between 4 and 4.5, I think you could (emphasis on "could") have some reduced growth, and soils below 4 should definately be amended. The effect of these low pH values can vary depending on the type of soil you have--pH does not operate independently of other soil properties. But I am not aware of any specific studies of Norway spruce growth in either alkaline, neutral or nearly neutral soils of any kind. I think there have been some studies of our southern pines and they are supposed to grow in neutral or nearly neutral soils.

If you do a soil test, have them test magnesium also. One study I read suggested that an optimum amount for Norway spruce would be 75 kg per hectare. Sorry, I don't have that conversion for you for the 250 square feet or so that would affect the tree if you want to add some based on a test, but it would not be hard to work out.

The other thing you could do is contact your local ag extension and ask if any of the common soils in your area tend to be low in magnesium. If they say no, I would not worry about it.

--Spruce