cant really help w/o a pic.,. but let me suggest that if you want them at 6 feet.. you prune them back to 5 .. so as to get them to green back over in the center top ... and while you are interested.. google REJUVENATION PRUNING OF SHRUBS ... and study up on that system ... what you can do.. is do a couple a year at full rejuvenation ... remaking the whole plant ....it really would be the way to go .... and if you did say.. every other one.. you would still maintain 90% of your privacy ... and over 3 years.. have a very healthy hedge ... ken

Since the tread came back up, here is a photo I took yesterday. These are the male catkins elongated. Here is a middling pic, the link (if it works, will take you to a bigger picture. The Thumbnail that sorry photo site, Photobucket, is not clickable. And don't tell me to use the other code, that doesn't work either. Photobucket disgusts me. I have been trying for 45 minutes to upload from the sorriest photo site on the internet, namely, Photobucket. Do not use them because they change things, you cannot access any support, and their links to you photos only work randomly. To think I pay money for that. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/AlbusAlbuseser/DSCF4908.jpg [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/AlbusAlbuseser/DSCF4908.jpg[/IMG] [URL=http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/AlbusAlbuseser/media/DSCF4908.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/AlbusAlbuseser/th_DSCF4908.jpg[/IMG][/URL] This post was edited by Dzitmoidonc on Sun, Feb 17, 13 at 19:57

I cut some back that were about 30 or 40 years old. They were about 5 feet tall. I cut them back to about 2 feet tall. They looked very scraggly for about 3 years, but are finally getting leafy again. From an interview with Parker Andes from Callaway Gardens: Pruning to Rejuvenate "This is probably my favorite job," said Parker. "When an azalea is way too tall or badly misshapen, if I see vigorous growth at the base, I know I can make it look ten times better in a minute or two." He demonstrated on an old azalea that resembled a leafy umbrella standing in the woods. There were several sprouts at the base, struggling to reach the sunshine blocked by the leaves above. With three cuts, the azalea went from six feet tall to eighteen inches high. Here is a link that might be useful: Azaleas Summer Pruning

presume that cost will double in a few years ... and triple thereafter .... and it will be at least once a year.. for the rest of your life ... get rid of them ... one time cost ..... improper plant.. in the improper place ... and dont go all guilty on us... plant something better for the site ... mother earth net zero ... NEVER LIVE WITH THE PRIOR OWNERS MISTAKES .... if they had left you paisley 4 inch shag carpeting.. you would change it out ... why not outside ??? one thing you might do ... is remove every other one.. and get some replacements in.. and once they get going.. remove the other in a year or two ... but then.. you would have to pay for the trimming of those remaining ... think outside the box you are in .... ken