How to Reduce the Size of a Pine Tree
- 1). Remove all dead branches with a pruning saw. Use the three-cut method to remove branches larger than 2 inches in diameter. Place the first cut 12 inches away from the branch's base. Cut up from the branch's underside about halfway through the branch. Place the second cut about 1 inch from the first cut, or 13 inches from the branch's base. Cut all the way through the branch. Make the third cut near the branch's base, and cut all the way through the branch to remove the stub.
- 2). Prune the remaining branches back the desired amount, but do not enter the dead zone. There must be green needles left on the branch. Make the pruning cuts at a 45-degree angle. Select a location on the branch where a smaller branch extends, and cut in front of the smaller branch.
- 3). Locate the pine tree's leader -- the highest branch on top of the tree. Prune the branches surrounding the leader so they do not compete. Cut them down to a length of 6 to 8 inches with pruning shears, but do not cut the leader. Do not cut off the pine tree's top portion in an attempt to reduce its size. This causes rapid upward growth, which makes the pine tree lose its pyramidal shape and become weak.
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