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Redwood Topping for Privacy: Limits and Alternatives

Three redwoods planted for privacy near a two-story house. Topping at eave height removes >25% of crown—not recommended for conifers. Terminal bud drives height; removing it ruins form. Side branches can be trimmed back 3 ft from house. Redwoods don't fill in as a hedge. Better: limb up the house side, accept natural height, or replace with a hedge species.

Redwood Pruning Limits

Never remove >25% of crown.
Terminal bud essential for form.
Side trimming okay.

Trees: Redwood Top Dieback: Internal Decay, Monitor for Hazard; Redwood Seedling Collapse: Overwatering & Damping Off in Young Sequoias; Redwood Planting Near a Driveway: Insufficient Space for Root Spread; Redwoods Near Pool and House: Root and Needle Concerns; Boron in Irrigation Water: Assessing Risk to Soquel Redwoods; Surface Roots of Coastal Redwoods: Safe Cover Options; Topping Magnolia and River Birch: Why It's Harmful and What to Do Instead; Managing Cypress Knees in Tight Spaces; Leyland Cypress Topping: Bad for Trees, Negotiate Removal Instead; Why Tree Topping Is Harmful: The Case for Proper Pruning

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