My dad's planning a redesign of his yard, and wants 4-6 MASSIVE yews out of there. All are 5-6 inches wide at the ground and three are multi-trunked (landscape trees planted in the seventies). He understands I want them for bonsai and isn't planning on moving them until next spring. He's a terrible gardner, but loves the idea of bonsai. He even offered me 2 rododendrons, some ragweed and a full grown sugar maple (1.5 foot trunk)!!!! Whew!! He'll amuse me forever!
My concern is their survival chances, none of these trees have lower branches. Most will lose every branch they have to give them a usefull height. I've read they backbud well, but do they backbud
that well?? The soil around the house isn't clay, so it should be forgiving. I have a while before I dig them, is there any preparations I can make now? Or soil suggestions?
If anyone in the area wants to help me out next year, I'll gladly give them a couple trees. Knowing my mom, she'll offer meatloaf.
Thanks in advance,
jim