AusBonsai

Hi all, my Norway spruce seem to be getting a bit too tall and growth is concentrated too much on the top. The way I see it, I have two options, either trunk chopping it to half, or aggressively pruning off the top to encourage growth at the bottom.
What would you do?

To shorten the trunk put some movement into it. By doung the it will give the illusion of a smaller tree. To balance the growth trim new groth on the to and let the new growth grow on the bottom.
Cheers
Kirky

I agree that it is way too tall and that top growth is strong while lower growth is weaker. These are 2 related but separate issues.
Strong top growth and weaker lower and inner shoots is common with most species. The tree is trying to get to full height and lower branches will be redundant so more effort is directed to upper growth in an attempt to beat any rivals. Kirky has already talked about dealing with that issue - prune top harder and allow weaker shoots to gain strength.

Too tall is another issue. You must prune to create bonsai. This tree has not been pruned and so it has grown tall and thin.
Kirky suggests one way to deal with it - wire and bend the trunk to make it shorter. I think this tree has gone a bit past that possibility and, if you want to grow a straight tree, bending the trunkmay not be an option. Pruning is always an option. You can prune just above any of the side branches then wire that branch and bend it upward so it becomes a continuation of the trunk line ( you can make the new trunk straight or use it to start to make bends in the trunk). The tree will be shorter and will actually look thicker because it is now short in relation to the thickness. It will also have more taper than it does now. You cannot wire and bend to create taper - pruning is the only way I know to produce better taper in trunks and branches.
I would probably cut above the 1st or 2nd sets of branches (sometimes you need to go backwards to get ahead) but this is your tree so you need to decide if you want to go that far (you can still cut back to where I suggest in a few years when you discover I am correct )

shibui wrote:I would probably cut above the 1st or 2nd sets of branches

thank you for the advice!
I have suspected that I need to do something aggressive, and your comments reinforced that. I have done exactly that!

killarkai wrote:

shibui wrote:I would probably cut above the 1st or 2nd sets of branches

thank you for the advice!
I have suspected that I need to do something aggressive, and your comments reinforced that. I have done exactly that!

Agree with everyone but seriously the top half is growing well.
I'd attempt a half way up airlay starting at your future chosen 'chop'.
You can progress with every thing shibui has mentioned as if the airlay was invisible.
Once it takes and roots out you have the bonus of a second tree..If it fails just chop it off and your still in front with your tree growing up the chosen apex branch..

Steve.