Question
Hi, Laura.  I have a ranch style home with a basement.  We have a northern pine located in the front corner (SE) of the home.  It's trunk is nearing a foot in thickness, and it's about 4 or 5 feet from the foundation of the home.  It's beginning to tower over the house, and I've had to cut back the branches that would otherwise be growing through a bedroom window.  It provides great shade to cool the house in the summer, but I'm afraid it may need to come down.  Is there any danger of the roots penetrating the basement wall?  Is there a successful way to prune it back to a smaller size?  Thanks in advance for your reply.  Sincerely, Don Schmittdiel

Answer
Don,
I would have it cut down by a tree cutting service and then plant something in front of the stump.A slow growing Colorado Blue Spruce would be a good choice.Mine is in my landscaping and has not grown more than a few inches per year.
Or just keep trimming it back,annoying as that may be. You can't dig it up unless you use big equipment to pull it out with.
Whatever you decide to do,Good Luck to you,
Laura Walker