Italian Cypress is a narrow tree- if you wanted something with more width you should have chosen a different species conifer.

You have three choices- 1) wait 30 years. They do broaden with age but it takes a really long time.

2) Replace them with a better choice for screening- hit up the guys in the Conifer forum if you need some good, specific recommendations.

3) Plant a second row of plants with more width in front of your row of Italian Cypress staggered to block the gaps in the site line.

There is a proper tree for every application but it takes a bit of research to get the right one. Unfortunately there isn't much we can do to change the genetic code in trees to alter their growth patterns. They grow how they grow and all we can do is choose the right one.

This is the wrong tree for screening.

cearbhalll, thanks for your reply.

I planted them in two staggered rows 3 feet from each other and the distance between the rows is 3 feet as well, so it won't take long before I get a screen.

They grow in part shade, so are quite skinny and I'm wondering if flat pruning them at this point might turn them wider. The garden is a small urban one and there really isn't space for wider plants for a screen.

duplicate post in conifer forum.. covering your bases.. eh .. lol ..i have no problem with that

ken

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4664858/chop-the-top-of-italian-cypress?n=1

You really don't, people plant them because of their narrowness.

Could you add some shrubs around the bottom to fill the void? Something fast growing like knockout roses or loropetalum (I don't know where you are located, so those may or may not be good suggestions).

They need time to grow. Trees that grow fast tend to be weedy. Slower trees are often better in the long run.

Hoovb, thanks! You're right, slower trees are often better in the long run. I won't do any flat pruning. They'll fill out at their own pace.

Your Italian cypress really just need time to grow. Providing good water and high nitrogen fertilizer will promote growth, but going overboard will cause problems. It's a slow growing plant, but before you know they become great plants.

Italian cypress are fast growing 3 feet per year