I know that Alberta spruce are not preferred material but I had a few so Ihave been messing around with them. Just recently one has started a second flush of growth. I thought they were not a multi flush species but perhaps I am wrong. Has anyone else had this happen?
“Multi flush” or “single flush” only refers to pine trees as I understand it. In the case of multi flush pines, this refers to the ability of these pines (ie. Japanese Black Pine) to consistently produce a second flush of shoots including a bud for the following year after the first spring growth is removed.
Yeah that was my understanding too. Basically that unless one of those pines all other trees are singable flush. I thought only certain pines were capable of a second growth phase in one season which is why I am surprised to see it on a spruce and wondering if it has happened with any one else’s in their experience.
I’ve seen spruce do this, where some of the buds start opening and growing in late summer or fall. My birds nest spruce had a handful of buds start growing this time of year last year. Thankfully it wasn’t all of the buds since they started growing so late nothing came of this growth because it didn’t harden off before hard frost came.
I’m not sure why this happens, but yea I’ve seen the strange mini fall flush on spruces before.
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Thanks for offering up some specific experience Mike. I am wondering if late summer cooling conditions and high nitrogen fertilizer could contribute to a weak second flush. Will have to watch my trees more closely.
Some trees just have enough left in the bank for another throw of the dice.
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Thanks Mike, I have similar concerns about this growth I first spotted it about a month ago and it has become more abundant. Im in a warmer climate so we might have another month until a hard freeze so we may get away with it but who knows.
Any clue how long between the second push and the freeze it was?
Im not sure it was cooling that triggered it has been 90+ almost every day since summer until this last week so this push happened before that. I also had another one right next to it that it didnt happen to, which was weird to me.
The one with no second flush was in slightly more sun (They were in a row from south to north so the north one was shaded by the south one a little.) and the one with no second flush is experiencing some needle burn from the extra exposure. Both were on the same watering/fertilization schedule as well so I dont think that was it. I am wondering if it would have happened to both if the one didnt scorch.
I’ve got two Alberta spruce group plantings. Both push buds multiple times per growing season. In fact just yesterday I was looking at both plantings and saw dozens of new buds almost opening. These have been doing this since I made the plantings 3 years ago. It’s been cold here in BC but that hasn’t seemed to bother them at all.
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