In the 1.8.9 versions of Forge, it seems that single spruce saplings cannot be grown with bonemeal.
I tested it in vanilla Minecraft 1.8.9 and the spruce tree grows as expected, but in Forge, tested version 11.15.0.1699 with no other mods installed, I can use over 20 stacks of bonemeal and the tree does not grow, even though there is plenty of room around it and above it.
The 2x2 spruce trees will grow easily, but a single sapling won't. Oak, birch, acacia and both single and 2x2 jungle trees grow as expected, as well as 2x2 dark oak trees. A single dark oak sapling will, of course, not grow.
So, in other words, a single spruce sapling behaves just like a single dark oak sapling, i.e. not growing at all.
Of course, I have made sure that 5x5x8 area around it is clear, as it is normally the case with spruce saplings and I tested it also on a superflat world, where there is indubitably plenty of room.