Pruning Hemlock - Ask Extension
I have a Hemlock pine in my garden. It has reached about 8 feet in height, and I don't want it to get taller. Can I "top" it? How and when s...
Knowledgebase
Pruning Hemlock #871289
Asked June 03, 2024, 12:09 PM EDT
I have a Hemlock pine in my garden. It has reached about 8 feet in height, and I don't want it to get taller. Can I "top" it? How and when should I trim it. Thank you.
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
This is a case of wrong plant/wrong place. Hemlocks will grow to be up to 70' tall and 35' wide when mature. You might as well take it down and replace it with a more suitable evergreen. Check for mature size before planting. https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/needle-like-leaves/eastern-hemlock-tsuga+canadensis
So, there is no way to keep it pruned to maintain it in it's current space? I love the look.
Bruce Pedalty
On 06/03/2024 3:13 PM CDT Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
You could try trimming it but eventually you would be unhappy with the end results. It will lose its soft branching as the branches get older and thicker. It also will appear to thin as older needles fall off and there new ones, which would have been on the new growth, are cut off. It is up to you.
