Digging Some Monster Yews

wdt2000

You should have fun with these. I am new to Bonsai but I have been landscaping for awhile. And removing Yews that have been in the ground for a few years is not an easy task. How do you plan on removing them?

Will

PS Good luck

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Adam_MA

With a healthy dose of borrowed muscle! Payed for of course with a tree, and some of mom's meatloaf!

Jim: Just let me know when!

Adam

PS. Where are those pics?

MikeA

I'm new to this group; thnaks to Candy; I've been watching for a while.
JimmyRigger,
I did exactly what you are talking about here in Massachusetts a year ago. You probably have Taxus Cuspida, the most common landscape yew around here.

My advice is do it in early Spring; we did it on Patriots Day, a bit late even for here.

The roots will be tough, so bring good heavy cutters and a saw. We wore out one pruning saw on a harvest of 4 big yews. You should also bring a couple of small hand mattocks and cultivators to help dig out the roots.

Prepare some big shallow pots to put them in or prepare space in your growing area. One of mine is in a big plastic masons tub.

When you prune them remember to leave enough foliage and branches to keep the life lines going where you want to keep them. They do not bud back aggresively here so think design while cutting.

Once potted keep them in semi shade for a while until you see the new growth tips going well; then easy into sun and fertilize well.
Give yourself a full day for this project, its hard work!

I'm only about an hour from you so you can certainly call for advice and maybe even tempt me with one more of these.

Adam_MA

Mike,
Welcome to the forum! What more could you ask for.. Great advice from a local resource! This forum is great!

Only an hour from Jim? We are pretty close then! Actually according to the bonsai buddy program only 10 miles away!

Adam

thejimmyrigger

Sorry about the belated post, I've been repairing my new (to me) car.
I have bad news about (and hope for) the trees....

My dad was curious just what a bonsai is so I lent him a few books. He fell in love with idea and is planning on styling them himself where they are as shrubs. Only one is coming out now. I tried talking him out of it but he's having nothing to do with removing them now. And to think, Mr Rutledge wants bonsai to be more popular!!
But, there is a silver lining: my dad is constantly changing his mind, especially with a winter's worth of coaching. Our neighbor is a landscaper and is trying to redo my parent's house too, so we may still be in luck!!

I did a terrible job photographing these trees so you guys really don't want to see the pictures. I did get a positive ID: English Yew. Again, I'll try for better pictures, now I have a nice 35mm camera to use, now I need to find out what all those little buttons and levers do.

Don't lose hope!!
jim

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Jimmyrigging is much like jerryrigging, just go a bit lighter on the duct tape and wire coat hangers, and hit said broken item more. Remember: if it isn't broke don't kick it.