Droopy icebreaker

Eastern icebreaker doing fine

I would dig it up and check out the roots immediately. Make sure there's no circling roots girdling the tree or that something hasn't been eating them.

I agree.

Dax

So dug it up cannot see any evidence of pests or chunks of root missing. Roots were dark/stained the color of the soil and slightly red but no slime or evidence of mold. Root ball was fairly compact and definitely moist. I loosened the outlying roots and patted dry with a paper towel, placed in dryer soil and put out in morning sun any other suggestions?

Should I have let the root ball dry out longer before repotting?...Other thoughts were to remove all soil, rinse roots thoroughly and then repot

You don't want the roots to dry out, no. When it's dug, open it all up while using a gentle stream of water from a spicket or hose and untwine all the roots so when you replant you know none are circling or twisted all up, etc-

I'd expand the discussion and say to give the tips of the roots a haircut with a pair of scissors. Then re-plant.

Give it a few weeks after that to adjust. If you have a way to shade just that plant (a couple of bamboo stakes or just some sticks with shade cloth or something that will block sunlight while porous for air circulation to zip-tie to the stakes, definitely add it.

Dax

Ive read that they will unravel their needles if they are too happy...i.e. too much water or fertilizer. I live at sea level in a zone 7 and they dont like our altitude, heat and humidity here. Ive been lucky with a Ak 'Freudenburg' for a few years in a protected area that only gets morning sun.
They're tough to grow here.
Al

Don't be digging this thing up and tinkering with it while its flushing new growth.

Its either too much water or too much heat.

Kentucky, black mulch, brick walll...I really hope thats a east exposed cove. If you're getting south or west sun in there those things are going to cook!

Whass is so right about the black and the brick combo. Black mulch is a cooker, especially in full sun unless you live in a cool climate. Abies Koreana likes it cool.

Take a look at the new growth at night when it's cooler. If it perks up at night then you know it's the heat. Well I guess even if it doesn't perk up then it could still be hot =(. I've just noticed that sometimes the newly pushing growth on my conifers droop on hot humid days and then springs back up when the day cools off.

I would think about changing the mulch or moving it to another location if it's getting a lot of sun.

Oops, I forgot that you wrote that it gets 4 hours of sun. Well, that doesn't seam like too much.

He/she did say "at least" though and its midday which is the worst.

I dig stuff up "anytime" --- as long as it's watered thereafter it will be just fine.

Agree there are valid points being brought up, too.

Dax

MCMD What rootstock is it on?