Last year I mentioned about a large Blue Spruce I have that was doing poorly. I had spoken to a horticulturist at White Flower Farm and she mentioned that often the soil under such a tree is depleted to the point the tree is malnoutricianed.Until this time I had done nothing for the tree but give it tree spikes.One of the contributors here suggested that was a poor method of feeding.So I started by giving it a GOOD dose of Scotts best fertilizer and then started a compost pile under the tree to regevenate the soil.We have a kennel so a good helping of dog droppings and pine shavings from the kennel all the perrinnial tops etc all the house waste ,coffee grounds etc

By spring the tree was looking quite thrifty and the soil improved enough to put a ground cover in part of the area I have continued with composting there and the tree gets more brilliant by the day,what fun!