"Dave Poole" wrote in message
...
Gray wrote:

Any ideas on the best way to prune a Monkey Puzzle tree.

Erm, you don't. It can withstand a bit, but it will look all the
worse for it later.

Its overall height is about 20 ft with long straggly branches.

Oh well, a youngster then. Expect it to get to well over 60 ft with
even longer branches!

Do I just top it and then just shorten its branches ??

Unfortunately, chopping the top off leads to severely distorted
symmetry - lop-sided growth and all that. Shortening the side
branches might work, but it might also encourage varying degrees of
die-back. This is a very large growing tree - stupendously majestic
or hideously huge depending upon your point of view. It needs lots of
room in an open site to develop well and is probably unsuitable for
gardens under half an acre.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November

Even 60ft sounds young middle aged. They grow in town squares in Argentina
and in Salta I reckon they were anything up to 100ft! Wonderful trees.