Laura,

I wouldn't do that because it seems to me like these trees, all of them, have some age to them. Coppicing the tops would require you to significantly cut low (possibly 1/3) removal of the top -- and eventually you'll be dealing with Firs that look incredibly irregular while the others, are pristine. You'd really be doing a diservice to yourself and the integrity of the Firs. You'd also create week trees prone to insect activity, you'd create weak branches (too many will form above at the cut) thus inviting more problems such as those created by heavy snow loads or storms or about anything else that could cause limb damage. I do suppose if you continued this process for many years, until a new leader is selected (when you're ready for the tree to continue it's upward growth, again... then your idea may possibly be accomplished. However, it still seems like you'd end up with an oddly shaped tree. And, most-likely a tree where at the initial point of your first cut, there would always be an imbalance of foliage/limbs at this point. I've never tried this nor heard of anyone doing so but logically speaking I see this to be of certain possibility.

If you're going to hand select just the Douglas Firs, you might as well top them all and I don't think that's something you planned on doing, probably ever, so it just doesn't hold it's weight in gold at all.

Trees with one leader should (no matter what Ken thinks) always be preferred and encouraged. They are always physically stronger and more immune to any chances of other future concerns or problems.

Good luck if you proceed...

Dax

"I always heard that if you trim the top of a tree off it will grow wider. I know this is the case with arborvitae"

That one's a myth! Trees grow wider all the time. Decapitating it won't make any difference to the rade of sideways growth. All it does is stimulate it to try to replace the lost leader.

The only way to make a tree grow wider is to spray it with lots of Time; the more years' worth you use, the wider it will get.

Resin

That's what I almost concluded in my own mind too. 'Genetics' is genetics. Or, as you say, "Time."

Another myth solved in my mind.

Dax

That's the way I see it. It's matter of proportion. A shortened tree looks wider than a taller one of the same age when, if fact, they are the same width.

I have 'shrunk' many trees for customers over the years. Once that is done, you are committed to it from that time on. In a lot of cases it's that or the tree comes down because it has run out of room. Either up or sideways, or both.

Well, are not trees with more than one leader usually wider than normal at that point where the growth divides? As for deliberately trying to force a large tree to do that, it just doesn't seem right.

Lately I've seen a Norway Spruce that had four new leaders about 20 feet up, after I assume that the main leader died for some reason. The four leaders actually seem kinda balanced, which is kinda cool that that happenned. How to make a tree do that on purpose, i don't know. Seems like you would be potentially ruining some nice trees.

Could you plant some Arborvitae or Junipers in front to fill the gaps, if enough room or light?

Thanks for all the replies - very interesting info! I am sorry, I should have phrased my question differently...

I do not want to actually top the tree, nor do I want a tree with multiple leaders. I was asking about trimming only the leader back.

So my question, re-phrased, is... If I cut the only the leader back (just a bit, NOT completely off), will it cause the tree to grow in width instead of height? And, will doing so harm or kill the tree? Thanks!

"I do not want to actually top the tree, nor do I want a tree with multiple leaders. I was asking about trimming only the leader back.

So my question, re-phrased, is... If I cut the only the leader back (just a bit, NOT completely off), will it cause the tree to grow in width instead of height? And, will doing so harm or kill the tree?"

Same thing; cutting the leader is topping. The tree will then do all it can to replace the missing leader, and may well end up producing two or more new leaders, which will lead to multiple stems liable to split later in life. And no, it won't make the tree grow in width instead of height.

Resin

Resin, are you sure about that? I've had 2 Eastern Red Cedar that lost the top 6" of leader due to grasshopper nippling. In essence, height grow of tree is stopped while tree selects/produces another leader, but the limbs continue to grow out. In essence isn't this a case where the tree was topped and grows wider. Now the over effect will be small, as once new leader is established I'm expecting these trees will shoot up to make up for lost time, but currently they are probably wider but not taller.
Assume theoretically one could pinch off the top leader every year and result would be a tree that is wider than it would have been otherwise for the height. Not sure if it grows wider than it would have normally anyway.

please don't do it ....

and you guys can answer without using my name in vain ... lol

i would never do such to a species tree ... straight as an arrow for the biggies ...

dwarfs and mini's.. well that's a whole nother world.. weirder the better .... most will live their lives with in the height of me plus my ladder... i can fix them .. i can NOT fix a telephone pole ...

yes.. let the tree be the tree ... move 4 or 6 feet toward your house.. and plant something else to fill the gap within you sight range .... and in 10 years.. if the original fills in.. remove the filler if necessary ...

look into something like degroots spire for fast tall and thin .... or iseli fastigate ... blue totem??? ... for a blue

there are so many options.. you are stuck thinking in a small box ... step out of the box... and rethink how to fill the gap ... jeez .. how about just a real totem pole ... lol ...

just please tell me you will never top a tree... or top a tree and call it pruning .. or whatever you want to call it... cutting a leader is topping ..

how about a picture in a new post .. so we can brainstorm ideas about solutions... ken

PS: glad to see the freak has a real name.. she must be feeling comfortable here... so much to learn.. so little time ....

Oh.. I never knew that just trimming the leader a bit was considered topping. I always pictured topping as what my one neighbor does -- which is to actually decapitate the thing! He had some browing toward the top of one of his, and chopped about 1/4 of the tree off! Well the thing grew the top back after some years -- and it is a wider tree now. Although you should see his apple trees - he does the same to them and they look ridiculous, and of course never bear fruit like mine do.

Scotjute wrote: "I've had 2 Eastern Red Cedar that lost the top 6" of leader due to grasshopper nippling.
I didn't know grasshoppers had nipples! ;)
In essence, height grow of tree is stopped while tree selects/produces another leader, but the limbs continue to grow out. In essence isn't this a case where the tree was topped and grows wider. Now the over effect will be small, as once new leader is established I'm expecting these trees will shoot up to make up for lost time, but currently they are probably wider but not taller."
Scotjute, yes that is what I always thought also.

Well, in any case, I think what I will do is just plant something else in bewteen these trees (there is at least a 10 ft. gap right now). I will try to get some pics to post so you can see what I am trying to do/hide.

Hey Ken, I've posted w/ my name before... ? (even under my previous hibiscus screen name) Hmmmmm..... old age must be catching up with you. ;) Now stop razzing me or I will have to come over there and give you 40 lashes with a wet cryptomeria branch! :P