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Conifers (pine trees) are plants that bear cones, and they come in all shapes and sizes.
They're not very picky about their soil, and they can grow almost anywhere in the country. Most people plant conifers and let them grow as they naturally would. However, with a little
artistic touch you can create a beautiful spiral topiary.
Materials
dwarf Alberta spruce
flagging ribbon or tape
grass shears
pruners
Step 1: Make a template
The first step is to tie your ribbon to the top of the
tree, and wind it around the tree like a candy cane stripe to be your guide. With the grass shears, follow the spiral of the ribbon and cut a line into the tree. Remove the ribbon, and
you should have a clearly visible template for your spiral.
Step 2: Cut the spiral
Following the template, prune away the foliage, right
down to the trunk. The spiral should reveal the trunk from top to bottom. Don't worry about harming the tree. The dwarf Alberta spruce is a very tough plant and takes quite well to
shearing.
Step 3: Finishing touches
Trim off about one-half inch of the outer growth to
round out your spiral nicely. Grass shears work best for the finishing touches.
If you'd like the tree to stay the same size, simply cut off the top. Or
if you'd like a taller tree, allow the top to continue growing for another year or two, and continue the spiral. To keep your topiary spiral in shape, trim with grass shears at
the beginning of summer, as the new growth for the season is hardening off.
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