Prune them just in front of the fat growth buds to promote new growth. The buds will sprout new branches next year.

Dave

in other words.. dave meant to say.. the buds should already be there for most of us... unless you are z3 or 4 ...

where are you..
how big is the tree ...
and why do you suppose that cutting off foliage will make it denser ...
is it a recent transplant ..
and why cant you already see the buds???

IMHO ... the only thing that will make a young tree fuller.. is letting it grow for 5 more years ...

ken

I am in Z5 (chicago). I can see the new bud nubs. I guess I'm wondering if i now prune the new growth, will another new bud form where I make the cut? from your answers I'm guessing no -- i'd have to prune right above one of the new bud nubs, and that bud would take over next year.

so this begs the question - what if one did cut in the middle of the growth (not just above a bud)? two of these trees were pruned as such by the nursery (at the main leader) and did not sprout new leader growth. so I'm wondering if they ever will, or if one of the side branchlets will take over as a new leader? I'd like to avoid that.

the trees were planted in April. they are 7-8ft tall. the nursery told me they sheared them to make them grow "tight and dense". I know the natural habit of a picea abies is to grow a bit more open, and these trees are quite dense (like a pungens) which is why I picked them. if pruning them will not make them grow more dense then I will leave them alone.

last question - two of the trees appear to have multiple leaders (probably from the previous shearing??). if I do not cut back one or more of the "secondary leaders" what will the tree eventually look like? will it have "two tops"? is this bad for the tree?

here's a pic of one of the trees with multiple leaders...

if it were mine..

i would select one leader.. dispose of the other ...
and then i would allow it to assume its natural shape ...

this tree .. in theory .. could live a century ... why are you so anxious after 3 months .... to force it into some predetermined shape???

i think you are a bit premature on a 3 month transplant ...

ken