Black hills spruce trunk chop

[Mdpap1974]

Hello,

I found a nursery stock black hills spruce that has an interesting nebari and a low upward slanting branch. I am wrestling with the idea of chopping the trunk right above the branch but am worried this will kill the tree, since this will be the only remaining branch and I will have removed ~90% of the above ground tree. Roots look good and have not been handled recently. Sounds like a bad idea, right?

 

[Forsoothe!]

Nobody can comment without a photo.

 

[sorce]

Better to get it in a small pot before removing too much foilage.

Sorce

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I would chop it about a third up the picture you posted. And if it gets a branch, wire it.