Needle (leaf) Plucking a taxus?

[just.wing.it]

Hi Wing-it,
Nice trees by the way. Love the growth these guys put out.
Charles

Thanks!
Me too, they are my favorite!
I have 17 other species too, and they are all fun but taxus are top of my list.
Partly because it's the first tree that I really had any success with, in bonsai.
I still have the first one I ever got, as a landscape plant, and it's starting to gain some character now. It's one of 2 trees I still have from my first year attempting bonsai....which was only.... less than 3 years ago....wow, time flies when you're killing trees!

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Thanks!
Me too, they are my favorite!
I have 17 other species too, and they are all fun but taxus are top of my list.
Partly because it's the first tree that I really had any success with, in bonsai.
I still have the first one I ever got, as a landscape plant, and it's starting to gain some character now. It's one of 2 trees I still have from my first year attempting bonsai....which was only.... less than 3 years ago....wow, time flies when you're killing trees!

Hi,
Um these Taxus but hard to come by here. So on finding one in the local cemetery I figured by nabbing a few branches and getting 40 odd hard wood cuttings I might get a tree in 10 years.
I tried to apologize to the Christian gods on the way out and asked forgiveness for stealing, and growing more trees must be helpful in the CO2 thing. Small justification lol.
Imagine going back to the cemetery and hiding in the huge taxus bush, doing an air-layer ( looking like a pervert ) and then returning to the scene 3-6 months later. Taxus by stealth. Think I need a friend with a Taxus tree .

 

[just.wing.it]

I have not had any luck with cuttings...

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

I have not had any luck with cuttings...

Hi, semi- hardwood, this seasons growth of 6-8 inches. From one 'You-Tube ' video they suggest you don't need bottom heat, just rooting hormone and lots of time lol. 8-12 weeks is my guess with a perlite/bark mix etc.
Hope that helps although air-layer be easier to give you better plant.
Charles

 

[just.wing.it]

Just re-watched some of Graham Potter's awesome videos, I noticed that they posted copies of many of the old videos in HD, or at least a better quality than they were originally.
This was always my favorite video of his, while watching, I realized that he also said something about plucking the needles off of the lignified part of the branches helping to induce back budding, as well as making wiring easier.
Isn't this tree just killer?!

 

[just.wing.it]

Also, Graham always seems to be working his taxus and spruces in fall and winter... makes me lean harder towards the "schedule" we were talking about before, @sorce.

 

[daudelus]

Also, Graham always seems to be working his taxus and spruces in fall and winter... makes me lean harder towards the "schedule" we were talking about before, @sorce.

Graham also does his videos in front of his greenhouse, so aftercare may be something you (and certainly myself) may not be able to replicate. How do you overwinter yours?

 

[just.wing.it]

Graham also does his videos in front of his greenhouse, so aftercare may be something you (and certainly myself) may not be able to replicate. How do you overwinter yours?

That's a good point. I put mine on the ground up against the northern-most facing wall of my house which is underneath the back deck and bury the pots in mulch.

 

[daudelus]

That's a good point. I put mine on the ground up against the northern-most facing wall of my house which is underneath the back deck and bury the pots in mulch.

Exactly the same for me except they aren't under my deck, they are in an alcove between deck and house ...

 

[ralf]

Taxus baccata_needle plucked May/June 2017. Pic below taken today. Only a handfull of buds has developed into tiny shoots by now. The rest is ready for next spring
I believe it is better to do it in spring/early summer - more sunny. Winter/fall plucking never tried it but I guess you will get new shoots only a year after unless your tree is vigorous.