I have a row a pines (blue spruce & ?) along one properly line that are
30'-40' tall. Most of the lower branches are dead, I assume because they are no longer getting any light because the upper branches. Is it ok to remove these branches so that the trunk is clean up to about 5 feet from the ground? I'm thinking about doing that and then planting pachysandra or some other shade-loving ground cover underneath. They run right along side the deck and the brown, needleless sections are ugly.