Interesting; you may not want to hear it - but these trees WILL do just what everyone is telling you - even if you dont want to hear it.

I live on a street with 70+ year old Aleppo pines - they are about 70-80 feet tall with canopy of 35-60 feet . . . they were planted by the WPA during the depression and as they were well taken care of - have made it to their mature size.

Homes on 1/3 acre lots find themselves totally shaded by just 2 or 3 of them. Obviously it wont be an issue for YOU as your won't likely be in your house when they are this large - but I do not believe any amount of maintenance will keep them "manageable" - especially if you want a healthy tree because I don't believe aggressive pruning will be beneficial to the health of these trees.

Also - good luck getting much to grow under the canopy of 10 mature pines in a tract house yard. Your plantable ground will likely be "un-digable" due to root structures

I hope you like hearing more of what you don't want to hear - I recall you in another thread of mine pointing out to me that I only wanted to hear what I was looking for. This is exactly what you're doing here. haha

Ha ha that is funny.

I don't really mine hearing it, I hear it a couple of times a day as this work is taking place in my front yard and people stop by to tell me that these pines get really big. There are probably 6 huge pines, 80', within easy eye distance of my yard...sooooo I do actually understand how big these can get if left on their own.

And no matter how many times I explain it to friends, neighbors, and of course internet people, they continue insist all the points, and more, that you seem compelled to warn me about. They just don't want to hear that there are alternatives. Don't know why.

That's why it was so refreshing to meet Mike. And I posted to let others know that there are real gardeners out there.

I'll give it another shot...

People have been keeping huge pines in a small form for way for more than 2000 years. There are currently many 400 year old pines that are very small, 2, 3, 5 feet. You may not think aggressive pruning isn't OK for a tree's health, and I'm sure the type of pruning you're thinking of wouldn't be, but proper pruning methods have been developed in the past 2000 years that millions of people have been learning how to do this.

It's not particularly difficult to do but does require a willingness to learn and to do some actual gardening. Getting trees into a desired form, OK, that'll take some practice.

It is true when I'm dead these pines will become a problem for the next owner if they allow them to grow. I don't really care about that. Buying the property will be their choice. Secondly I assume there will be a line of "experts" lined up to tell the new owners everything you just said. And the new owners will hire a Bobcat to level the yard, plant sod, plant the standard 2 trees and 5 shrubs, put up a white picket fence, so the yard looks just like most yards in the US. And all will be right with the world.

I don't remember who you are, or this other thread where you got your feelings hurt or do I care. Little sad such a thing bothers you so but nothing I can do about that. You should be happy to know I've scale way back on offering people advice on the internet because lot's people do get very unhappy when told something they don't want to hear...I have no idea why....this is all so anonymous how can people take it personally,,,but they do. So I've just about stopped trying to help. You're welcome.

...buggy, it's because you do not come across as helpful. You come across as sanctimonious. It's that simple. Lighten the tone, make it a bit softer. People will then listen.

Peace.
Mary

Been posting in forums for more than 25 years...things have changed. At first people were buying $2500 computers and dial up modems just so they could chat with other gardeners about their hobby. Serious discussion. Couldn't even post a picture. Today everyone has a cell phone, everyone is an expert and egos must always be stroked at all costs. I know I'm a dinosaur and the net is now owned by the masses and serious conversation went away a long time ago. I stay around just for nostalgia. But less and less.

Sanctimonious to some, dick to others. That's cool with me. Plenty of people in this world I take great pride in knowing dislike me.

and yet you do seem to recall the specifics of what I described you as - and yes, I recall it well because of all the time I spend online I rarely encounter a creature as memorable as you. Feel proud :-D

I've never seen anyone using a splitting maul as a tree setting tool...

If someone were to offer me an aleppo or an afghani, I'd take either without a second thought. I've put one of each, both retired christmas trees, in the front (north) yard and ran irrigation stubs to them but never used them. They both grow wonderfully, the aleppo being 2/3 the size of the other, and I'd bet I've worked on them for about a total of one hour over the last dozen years. Total. Even when the aleppo lost it's leader from it being shoved up the hot cone of a tree top ornament it just sprang back.

Bulletproof, I swear, and as low-water as a tree can get.

I use the maul to cut concrete into shapes I need for a retaining wall. But, it doesn't hurt to show the trees what awaits them should they not perform.

Kevin, seriously, you're going to let some random post from some dick on the web bother you? I've been doing this forum thing for a long time, worrying about dicks is not worth your time. They're just pebbles in the stream...go around them.