Hi,I have 3 Canadian Hemlocks that I planted about 9 years ago. They are now at about 20 feet tall. For complicated reasons to do with a neighbor I need to “top” them at about 12-14 feet.Can you give any advice about the proper way to do this; i.e., how much to take, angled cut, covering the open cut for protection, time of year?Thanks,Frank in Schoharie County
Early spring would be the best time for this so you’ll want to tackle this soon. You don’t want to cut it back more than 1/3 so you could get them down to 14 without shocking them. Make you cuts just above a branch intersection, no need to paint the cut after. Here’s link that you might find helpful. http://www.gardensalive.com/product/bringing-a-line-of-hemlocks-down-to-size/you_bet_your_garden
Also, here’s a good post on pruning basics including the “angled cut” you’ll use.
https://www.lowes.com/projects/gardening-and-outdoor/prune-trees-and-shrubs/project