I have a Pine tree that over the years has been crowded out by surrounding Fir trees. The trees are about 24ft apart and 90 feet tall. In a row. The Pine basically only has green up by the top. If I trim off some of the surrounding fir branches will the bare Pine branches regrow needles? Once it gets light on them? I don't want to prune the fir branches and just end up with bare Pine branches. What to do?

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Originally Posted by perd

I have a Pine tree that over the years has been crowded out by surrounding Fir trees. The trees are about 24ft apart and 90 feet tall. in a row. The Pine basically only has green up by the top. If I trim off some of the surrounding fir branches will the bare Pine branches regrow needles? once it gets light on them? I don't want to prune the fir branches and just end up with bare Pine branches. What to do?

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Hi! perd, and welcome to AMHD :)

When you say "basically only has green up by the top" have you given it a close inspection to see if any of the lower branches (LB) have growth on them?

Do most if not all, of the LB spring back or snap when you bend them?

Can you take your penknife to one of the LB, scrape the outer bark to see if there is green underneath?

If the LB spring, and you have green. Then there is a good chance the LB will come back if you trim the surrounding Firs.

Is fall beginning in your area? Lightly trim the two of the Firs next to the pine now, then in a month (Oct.-Nov.) when your annual mean low stays below 50°F-10°C Then you can trim a little heavier.
Don't expect any rapid growth if Fall is beginning in your area, as evergreens have already started their dormancy in late July.

Do you semi- or annually fertilize the soil along this line of evergreens?
That will have a bearing on weather or not you need to fertilize just the area around the pine.

You don't say from what area of the world your from, but here's a link to:
Tree Fertilization: A Guide for Fertilizing New and Established Trees in the Landscape


K