When and How To Prune Yew

[mrcasey]

Can somebody tell me when and how to prune my yews? How many times a year should I be pruning/pinching? I've read to prune and wire in the fall. I've also read that they can be pruned any time.
Do I pinch or cut with scissors? Will I get new buds extending right at the cut site? I'm specifically interested in building up ramification and foliage pads.

 

[0soyoung]

Branches are largely autonomous, meaning what you do to one largely doesn't affect the others. So, go prune a few branches, keep track of them and see what happens - just do it. It will be very educational and far easier than you are imagining.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Build basic structure first, best just prune and select in fall. Once this is done, and you start to develop upward (tertiary) branches, cut back in end june and fall. When the basic shape is established after a few years start pinching and it will be full in no time. Select the right branches in fall / winter. Don't forget the first step, it is a fast way to build a ball of foliage, but not the best.

 

[0soyoung]

Today, @mrcasey, Tony Tickle posted about yew on his blog, including a YouTube video. Yews are among Tony's favorites.

 

[Cypress187]

Aren't yews toxic? Or only if you eat them?

 

[0soyoung]

Aren't yews toxic? Or only if you eat them?

Don't think they are, per se. Taxol, one of the first chemotherapy drugs, was derived from taxus brevifolia, so one probably shouldn't make a habit of chewing yew bark everyday.
Yew wood is very springy and was a favorite wood for making bows (for arrows).

 

[Cypress187]

Don't think they are, per se. Taxol, one of the first chemotherapy drugs, was derived from taxus brevifolia, so one probably shouldn't make a habit of chewing yew bark everyday.
Yew wood is very springy and was a favorite wood for making bows (for arrows).

Ok, does Rupert know this also? I don't chew so much on my tree's.

 

[Paulpash]

Don't think they are, per se. Taxol, one of the first chemotherapy drugs, was derived from taxus brevifolia, so one probably shouldn't make a habit of chewing yew bark everyday.
Yew wood is very springy and was a favorite wood for making bows (for arrows).

Yews are very toxic - only the outer husk of the red seed pod isn't. Taxine is the active chemical, an alkaloid that can result in cardio respiratory failure. My personal experience of some of the lesser effects include numbing of the lips after I stupidly put my fingers to my mouth while pondering the results of my pinching session - it literally felt like I'd had a dentists injection.

Be very careful if you have a crazy dog that will chew anything.

 

[petegreg]

Yews are very toxic - only the outer husk of the red seed pod isn't. Taxine is the active chemical, an alkaloid that can result in cardio respiratory failure. My personal experience of some of the lesser effects include numbing of the lips after I stupidly put my fingers to my mouth while pondering the results of my pinching session - it literally felt like I'd had a dentists injection.

Be very careful if you have a crazy dog that will chew anything.

I've read the same. And that's why birds can carry the yew seeds for long distances.

 

[ChrisV]

Yews are very toxic indeed.
Back in the days when there were a lot of writers they often sat under yew trees in summer, because the trees would secrete some kind of toxic with the warm weather that would make them hallucinate a bit.
This would make them write better story's.. I know weird stuff.

Anyway about pruning a yew, you can pinch them all season just like junipers, however just like junipers they need young growth to remain on the tree to thrive.
So you pinch the young growth back, but always leave 1/3 of the new shoot.
When pruning hard make sure to also remove some older needles on the branch, this will activate a hormone that will activate the buds.
But always leave some green on the branch or it will die back.
Feed them heavily with organic fertilizer during growing season when you need growth. They say yews grow slow but when fertilized properly they will thrive and fill out fast.
They also love to be fed true the leaves with fish emulsion. Just don't do that when the sun is shining.
The leaves might burn.
And try to prune them on cloudy days keeping them out the wind.
Yews are very strong and easy to grow.
good luck.

 

[Paulpash]

Yews are very toxic indeed.
Back in the days when there were a lot of writers they often sat under yew trees in summer, because the trees would secrete some kind of toxic with the warm weather that would make them hallucinate a bit.
This would make them write better story's.. I know weird stuff.

Anyway about pruning a yew, you can pinch them all season just like junipers, however just like junipers they need young growth to remain on the tree to thrive.
So you pinch the young growth back, but always leave 1/3 of the new shoot.
When pruning hard make sure to also remove some older needles on the branch, this will activate a hormone that will activate the buds.
But always leave some green on the branch or it will die back.
Feed them heavily with organic fertilizer during growing season when you need growth. They say yews grow slow but when fertilized properly they will thrive and fill out fast.
They also love to be fed true the leaves with fish emulsion. Just don't do that when the sun is shining.
The leaves might burn.
And try to prune them on cloudy days keeping them out the wind.
Yews are very strong and easy to grow.
good luck.

Hi Chris,

The very pollen of Yew is cytotoxic & it's this hallucinogenic property these writers were using when they sat under the tree in summer.

 

[berobinson82]

Those red berries are pretty tasty.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Hi Chris,

The very pollen of Yew is cytotoxic & it's this hallucinogenic property these writers were using when they sat under the tree in summer.

You hear that? @sorce ? Stay away from the yew.

 

[Paulpash]

@sorce makes his best posts under the Yew tree. He's the only one that would love more taxes......

 

[sorce]

My neighbor got a big one...yew....

I'm totally writing under there...

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Ok, does Rupert know this also? I don't chew so much on my tree's.

He doesn't have yew bonsai. Like hemlock and balsam fir he doesn't like the foliage.
He's an elm and pine guy like his Dad.

 

[Vinnie Charity]

I have a Yew tree I have yet to do any work on because I've been so busy. Anyway, I decided to dive into it the other day and the tree has some fantastic movement on the trunk. I jumped on this post to find out the best time to structure prune it because I'd love to get it in a nice pot next Spring. I appreciate all of the responses so far, and I'll have to post a picture of this guy soon...

 

[Vinnie Charity]

Yews are very toxic indeed.
Back in the days when there were a lot of writers they often sat under yew trees in summer, because the trees would secrete some kind of toxic with the warm weather that would make them hallucinate a bit.
This would make them write better story's.. I know weird stuff.

Anyway about pruning a yew, you can pinch them all season just like junipers, however just like junipers they need young growth to remain on the tree to thrive.
So you pinch the young growth back, but always leave 1/3 of the new shoot.
When pruning hard make sure to also remove some older needles on the branch, this will activate a hormone that will activate the buds.
But always leave some green on the branch or it will die back.
Feed them heavily with organic fertilizer during growing season when you need growth. They say yews grow slow but when fertilized properly they will thrive and fill out fast.
They also love to be fed true the leaves with fish emulsion. Just don't do that when the sun is shining.
The leaves might burn.
And try to prune them on cloudy days keeping them out the wind.
Yews are very strong and easy to grow.
good luck.

So ChrisV, I'm thinking it's too late to do the initial styling on a Yew? Should I wait until Spring? I'm in Zone 7 if that helps...

Thanks in advance,
-Vin

 

[Milly]

See post #3 from Dirk @Vinnie Charity

 

[Vinnie Charity]

See post #3 from Dirk @Vinnie Charity

Thanks @Milly, this is the first Yew I've ever worked on and as of March, I'm just getting into outdoor bonsai (all of mine were tropical). I'm really digging this tree so I'm reading up on everything I can to better familiarize myself with it.
-Vin