I didn't plant this one, and it's under a tulip poplar (so very shaded). Over the years it did the frog in pot of boiling water thing. I am the frog. The tree is very wide now.
I know you can't trim back to old growth, that it should be in dormant season and not to trim it more than 1/3.
But what is considered old growth? I have noticed a bunch of buds inside the canopy. Can I trim it back to these buds and expect these to fill out or grow new ones?
Sure, I have seen people top cedars and within five years you would not know. However, the plant does look powerfully ugly until it grows in.
With this plant, in shade, competing against a large mature tree for water it is going to take even longer to look better. If it is going to take ten years in shade why not transplant it to a better location and then cut it back to the little green buds?
Cedars do transplant well but a well established one like this is going to take a bit of work. Dig a large trench around the plant at least a foot deep to get an idea of how many tree roots and cedar roots there are. If you are in clay or rocky soil then it is probably too much work. Otherwise, keep digging until you can get a root ball about two feet down. Power machinery or strong people for lifting onto a cart might be needed.
