Hi all,

I'm starting my backyard from scratch. Last fall, I cleared the whole
overgrown thing out, except for a few mature oaks and maples that were
already on the edges, and planted a very small round area of grass near the
house. My plan is to create woodsy areas around the perimeter. I saved a
couple small maple trees, a small cedar, and a swamp chestnut. All are 3'-5'
tall. I will also be getting some baby redbuds and dogwoods soon.

The question is, I've noticed some of these small trees have multiple
leaders, some of which fork rather low. Is it a good idea to gradually
reduce to one straight leader so I eventually end up with a single strong
trunk? What if the straight leader is the smaller of two? And does anyone
have any tips or past experience doing this?

Thanks,
Elizabeth