I have a HUGE blue spruce tree about 10 feet from my house along a small creek. Its about 24" diameter at the base. There is another large spruce, which has grown up in the shadow of the big one. The "small" one is about 18" diameter and its base is only about 10 feet from the big one. Since its grown up in the shadow of the big one, it has 90% of its branches on the side of the tree facing away from the big one. It has a noticeable lean. In the winter, when we get the huge snows of 3-4 feet, this tree, with all its branches on one side, takes all its snow load on one side, and it leans even more. The trouble, is that it leans towards the corner of my house. I am wondering if pruning this tree, perhaps cutting off every other branch, would reduce its snow load and help prevent the tree snapping? Or, am I increasing the space between branches, allowing more snow to blow in and pile up? Right now, its had somewhat of a dense cone shape, and in the winter, its forms a bit of a steep slope on the outer "shell" and some snow seems to slide off rather than continue to pile up. The problem is when we get the really heavy wet snow, the tree looks like its going to break. Prune or leave as is?

I would prune the "leaner" at ground level if it was my place. It's a shame to have to cut live trees, but sometimes it's the best choice given placement of a tree and it's condition or lean.

sounds like it is keeping you awake at night. You need to do what you need to do to feel better. If you really want an opinion, you should seek that of an arborist

I was hoping an arborist might read this....

plus tomorrow is the last day for slash collection for the summer, if I am going to trim it, need to do it asap. thanks

Last winter, I purposely chose a tree on a friends' property for our Christmas Tree, that had grown in the shadow of a larger tree. I have a small living room, with no available "corners" for a normal shaped tree. Because of this, I chose the tree that had less branches on the side it was snuggled up to the larger tree. I trimmed only a few branches to make it flat where my window is, it took up very little space in my room, and was just as beautiful from inside and out!! Don't know if yours is too big to have this as an option..........good luck!