We planted about 20 white pine trees at the back side of our lot. Some of them are very full and some are very sparce. I would like to prune some of them so they would get fuller. How do I go about doing this? Appreciate any help you can offer

Greetings Barbara,

The greater the density of branches and foliage, the more "full" your white pine will look. However, branch density management (a.k.a., corrective pruning) can help remove damaged or diseased limbs in order to improve appearance and increase tree vigor.

To accomplish the goal of corrective pruning, please refer to the following USDA Forest Service publication http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_prune/prun001.htm

Here is another introductory website for pruning basics http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nursery/430-455/430-455.html

When in doubt, feel free to contact a local certified arborist to assist you in pruning your trees. Please note that corrective pruning may not be all that is necessary to improve the "sparse" nature of some of your trees. Other underlying causes (e.g., soil moisture, disease, nutrition, soil texture, etc.) may be contributing to your tree's lack of "fullness".

Good luck!