PolishPete

I've got a beautiful tree that's overgrown onto my driveway, and unfortunately starting to scratch any cars that get too close trying to pull in and out of the garage.

I'm not sure exactly what type of pine (is it even a pine?) this is...but was hoping someone could shed some light on the proper way to trim this tree back, without killing it.

Any help is appreciated!!

**No matter how I rotate the picture, after I upload it it's turned counter-clockwise. Sorry about that.

Attached Images

 

stick\shift

I would start by removing limbs from the bottom to create an exposed trunk.

That said, one can make an argument the whole tree needs to go.

de-nagorg

You can cut the lower limbs from that Spruce, to create a bare trunk of about 3 feet off the ground.

In nature the lower limbs are trimmed by the wildlife, either eating it or rubbing their antlers in the spring.

ED

Bondo

Ayuh,.... I agree, it's a spruce,....

I also agree the best way to trim a spruce is to cut off the lower branches is at the trunk,....
If ya trim the ends off the lower branches, those branches will never green up again,....
So, start at the bottom, 'n trim up the trunk as high as necessary, 'n leave anything above that alone,.....

joecaption

At some point the roots from that tree is going to destroy that driveway, and hard to tell from the picture but it sure looks like it's also to close to the house.

__________________
When posting in forums, letting us know your location will help others give better feedback/advice/solutions to your questions

chrisn

Maybe, maybe not.

__________________
http://www.paintingwallpaperinghagerstown.com/

PolishPete

Thanks for the help everyone.

Guess we'll start at the bottom and cut our way up. Any proper way to cut off the branches without hurting the tree or getting disease into the tree? Don't want to harm it any.

It's about 24 years old, and hasn't affected the driveway yet. It's just that it keep encroaching to the right and if one car is left on the right side of the driveway (in front of the right garage door), then you have to drive through the branches to get into the left garage door. So we've been kind of working around it, but it's just time to trim it. (It's past time actually.)

de-nagorg

Cut each branch as close to the trunk as close as you can, without nicking the trunk.

People used to paint over the cut area to keep bugs and diseases out, but I think that there is a product made especially for this now, check at the garden center at a hardware store, or your local county agriculture office arborist will know exactly how to seal these cuts.

You might need to cut branches in stages, a few inches at first to get room to work, then more until you get to the trunk, once you cut the end off a branch, this basically kills that branch anyway, so go ahead and go all the way to the trunk.


ED

chrisn

No need to apply anything to the fresh cuts. That practice stopped 30 odd years ago.

__________________
http://www.paintingwallpaperinghagerstown.com/

Bondo

Ayuh,.... It's a Spruce,....

It'll ooze pitch out, 'n cover it's scars, all by itself,...

ChuckTin

Pines and the like have "tap-roots". Usually. So it may not interfere with the driveway pavement. But I'd remove it. Replant one or more with bo-coo space around them for growth and snip off the lowest branches from the start.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk