Knowledgebase
Pruning Junipers #753331
Asked June 01, 2021, 3:53 PM EDT
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
The juniper next to the house should be removed. It is a case of wrong plant/wrong place. It can be replaced with a plant/evergreen that will stay small. The other might be a Wilton Blue. Yes, it can be shaped. It's normal growth pattern is bigger on the bottom, smaller as you go toward the top. Probably 6-12" could be taken off the branches. Do it a little at a time and then stand back and make sure there is still green growth. The interior is unable to get sunlight so the lack of green needles is normal. That is why you don't want to cut it back too far initially. You are allowing some light in to the center gradually.
There is no reason to replace both junipers. The one will look great once it is tidied up. As far as the one near the building, a lot will depend on the amount of sunlight that site gets. It seems to be reaching for sun which indicates to me that there is more shade there than appears in the photo. In that case a yew would work well. There are a lot of smaller evergreens, birds nest spruce, smaller spreading junipers, etc. Check with your local full service garden center to see what is available for your site conditions. Choosing evergreens for your landscape | UMN Extension