Spruces cut back into bare wood don't re-sprout well. And if they did you would have to keep pruning this one back over and over. So you are left with limbing it up or cutting it down entirely. The lower branch removal will not kill the tree.

It will just kill its looks.

imo ... fwiw ... and dam little .. lol ... get rid of it ...

it was planted 10 to 20 feet too close to the house ... and its only going to get bigger.. and much taller ... pay now.. or more later and god forbid it falls on the house in some storm .. possible.. but not probable ...

you cant shear the sides to the top ... you cant shear one side.. and not the other ... so all you are left with is taking the lower branches ... and that isnt going to end up pretty ...

here in MI.. we are losing a lot of them to needlecast ... i cant spell the whole name of the problem.. so there ... so find out if its in your area... and if so.. again.. just get rid of it ... a quick call to your county extension office might get that answer ...

there are newer much smaller varieties which could go there.. if you insist on a replica blue to replace it ...

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=picea+pungens+needlecast&t=ffcm&ia=web

"we are losing a lot of them to needlecast ... i cant spell the whole name of the problem.. so there ... so find out if its in your area... "

Unless the OP lives in the Rockies or very close to them, then the needlecast is a forgone conclusion. If the tree doesn't already have it now, it is just a matter of time.

But the photo is not close enough or detailed enough the determine if the tree is already afflicted. And to assume that the tree is too close to the house, either.

And to assume that the tree is too close to the house, either.

==>>>>

if there is a path between the garage.. and the tree ... it wont be there long... the picea pungens will grow its usual 6 to 8 to 12 inches forever .... unless it gets so dark in there.. it reduces the annual growth rate ... but then.. due to the lack of light.. the needles will start falling off due to the light issue ...

and do note.. the disease is a thing that afflicts mature trees .... and yours is just coming into that age ..

ken

Have you talked with your neighbors? Do they want it trimmed, or might they enjoy the tree as is?

I am unsure which tree you want to trim. I see three. One one on the right in the picture appears to be in your front yard. There is one near the basket ball goal on the right side of the picture that appears to be in front of your garage. Then there is an the extremely tall one that appears to be behind your garage on the right side of the picture.

It was mentioned about cutting it up 6-8 feet. As I under stand the law, you can trim the branches that extend into Your property, but can not trim the limbs on you neighbors property. So if the tree is on your neighbor's property and a branch extends into your property, You can trim back to the property line but can not cut it off at the tree. ( your neighbor's property) The laws on this vay from state to state, local government to local government. In some area you would need a permit to work on the tree.

SO, you need to work with your neighbor about resolving the tree problem. Each of the three trees will have its unique problems and cost if they are removed.

PS: If you trim it up to 6 -8 feet. (I would go to 8' as I am tall.) you need to think about what will be under the tree. It will be very shaded and grass will probably not grow.

My understanding is that the tree in question is on the OP‘s property and is growing onto the neighbour’s. Not the other way around.

As nickel mentioned, do the neighbours actually mind the tree?

The neighbors might prefer the tree as it is rather than the eyesore you'll likely have to create by trimming it.

No needlecast here. Very dry and cold nights, so my assumption is that is why I can successfully grow trees that originate at higher elevations.

Quote "on the side of my house and is growing on the neighbors lawn"

In rereading that it could be interpreted as growing in the neighbors lawn growing into the OP yard, or as in the neighbors yard growing into the OP yard.

If it is growing in the OP's yard he has no problems other than the esthetic issue, and technically does not have to bring his neighbor into the picture.

It it is the OP's yard I would trim it up to about 8' all around and create a shade garden under it with hostas, woods poppies and other shade plants. This would open the yard up, allowing better air flow, and light into the yard. The woods poppies are self seeding and provide bright yellow flowers for most of the summer. I would look at the colorful varieties of hostas, and look at other flowering plants and bushes. Based on the trees I suspect he is too far north to have azaleas, and such. There are small lilacs on other plants that will grow in the north.

We have a magnolia that by nature tends to grow to the ground. As it gets bigger it is going to have a visible trunk and the branches are going to be high enough I can walk under it.

Thanks for the replies and the neighbors are the ones expressing concern as the tree is on my property and has grown a few feet onto their lawn. In the picture the tree is the large blue colored spruce on the side of the house - left side in the photo. We live in Michigan and thanks for the ideas about planting a shade garden underneath if I trim it up from the bottom all the way around. My neighbors enjoyed the tree until recently. I will keep in mind the needle cast disease and call the county office to see if it is in the area. I have seen some trees trimmed up from the bottom and think if I want to keep it, that would look better than trimming just one side and having is asymmetrical.