Spruce trees tend to make more cones after a stress event, including, drought and transplanting. Not that your tree won't get quite a few cones in an ordinary year, it's just that, most likely, it had a bumper crop (mast year) from conditions last year or even the year before of getting dug, potted, moved, planted etc. Not sure all what happened, out of those things, to your tree but evidently it was stressed enough to cause this.

I planted a 2 foot Picea glauca in my yard and then raised it up in the ground the following spring. You would think it was too young to even get cones. Last year it was just loaded with cones, looked odd really. This spring, not a sign of anything.

Even though every year is different it doesn't hurt to look for any obvious stressors. I can't see what's going on with the rocks at the base. Would also wonder if that dowl rod was tied to the leader all winter?? I'd get rid if it asap.
That size weeping white spruce should never need help w the leader. If soft new growth isn't straight don't worry it will self correct, in the mean time your blocking side bud extension and can ruin a balanced look for this years new growth. Was the rod tied to the leader swinging in the wind all winter?

what they said ... but isnt it cool ... gratuitous surprises in the garden are always thrilling ...

i am wondering why the leader needs to be splinted ...

ken

When P. glauca pendula are young the leader often is a bit droopy. i always splinted mine, too. Don't need to do it for very long and they seem to outgrow it.

al , it's like , hey fellas , wait for me !

Thanks for the responses everyone:

Yes the splint was to help with the droopy leader, here's a full view of it (I had already untied the leader). I took off the splint now. The splint felt pretty solid so I don't think it was causing stress on the leader.

Regarding other stressors:

• It was field dug early last spring and b&b planted the same spring
• Had what was most likely a sawfly larvae attack last summer. I started a post last year to ask about it. These are the same trees: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/needle-loss-and-droppings-on-weeping-white-spruce-dsvw-vd~5435626
• I did apply a little of this product this spring to prevent a similar attack this year: https://www.bioadvanced.com/products/tree-shrub-care/12-month-tree-shrub-protect-feed-ready-use-granules

Nice tree!

Yes, if all the digging and such was just year ago, that would explain the heavy cone production.

Not sure if the 'bug and feed' had anything to do with it but it is possible that the fertilizer part gave the tree a little extra oomph with the cone production.

Enjoy the cones, you might not see any or not near as many next year or the next few years. :^)

I have a similar question about the same tree. I'm a bit of a newb with this stuff but do the cones lead to new growth or are they something separate? I ask because mine had what I thought were cones but new growth emerged out of them. There are still some which appear to be cones, will they also be new growth? I planted this last year

Branch tips can bear either new growth or cones. Generally one or the other, not both.

You may have been seeing swollen buds thinking they were cones.
This is what swollen buds could look like: