At least when young, the shapely blue spruce in a pot adorns the balcony and the summer terrace. Furthermore, the elegant Picea pungens cuts a fine figure as a Christmas tree. Read here how to properly plant and care for a Norway spruce in a pot. This is how the plant survives its visit to the house at Christmas time he althy and happy.
How do I care for a blue spruce in a pot?
To successfully cultivate a blue spruce in a pot, you need at least a 40 liter pot, high-quality potting soil, leaf compost, lava granules or perlite and drainage made of pottery shards. Water when the substrate is dry and fertilize every four weeks with liquid conifer fertilizer.
Cultivation in pots made easy
So that a blue spruce feels comfortable in a pot, there should be a minimum volume of 40 liters. A high-quality pot plant soil (€18.00 at Amazon) serves as a substrate, enriched with leaf compost, lava granules or perlite. Drainage made from pottery shards reliably prevents waterlogging. This is how easy the care is:
- If the substrate dries on the surface, watering is carried out thoroughly
- Mulch all year round with leaves, pine needles or grass clippings
- Administer a liquid conifer fertilizer every 4 weeks from March to September
Since a Norway spruce no longer sprouts from the old wood, do not cut the tree back or only cut it back in the green area. Annual thinning in early spring effectively prevents aging. After 5 years at the latest, the vigorous tree will exceed the dimensions of a potted plant and will be planted out.
How to use potted blue spruce as a Christmas tree
As the proud owner of a wonderful blue spruce in a pot, you can save yourself the trouble of purchasing an extra Christmas tree. If you heed the following tips, the Norway spruce will survive the Christmas interlude unscathed:
- Prepare the tree in the unheated stairwell or winter garden for the warm living room
- Set up in the living room as far away as possible from the active radiators
- Keep the substrate constantly slightly moist by watering every other day
- Spray the blue spruce as a Christmas tree several times a day with lime-free water
If the Norway spruce has fulfilled its task as a Christmas tree with flying colors, it should again acclimatize for 8 to 10 days in a cool, wind-protected location.
Tip
For cultivation in a pot, choose a small tree with a maximum height of 120-150 cm. At this size, a blue spruce can cope with the transplant shock better than a massive specimen. Also subject the root ball to a close inspection. This must not disintegrate when pulled out of the growing container. Rather, a solid, compact structure should be preserved.