A Weird Taxus

Paulpash

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Al, you're a bit like someone I taught years back that went on to be a pro sportsman. Really outstanding performer but remembered more for being a self righteous, arrogant show off.

What the hell has happened to you man since your wife passed?
 

Smoke

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Al, you're a bit like someone I taught years back that went on to be a pro sportsman. Really outstanding performer but remembered more for being a self righteous, arrogant show off.

What the hell has happened to you man since your wife passed?
Remember, I took all you people that don’t know anything, but think you do off ignore. Simple as that.

I was always this way. Look back into the archives. If you can refute the arguments then have at it. I didn’t start this pissing match. I just became involved in it cause wrong people think their right. I said waiting till growth is “ hardened off” is a waste of time. All some had to do is show me the differece and how that may be better. They didn’t and still havn’t. Quoted bonsai God Ryan, and called me names. How am I the bad guy here?
 

Paulpash

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Remember, I took all you people that don’t know anything, but think you do off ignore. Simple as that.

I was always this way. Look back into the archives. If you can refute the arguments then have at it. I didn’t start this pissing match. I just became involved in it cause wrong people think their right. I said waiting till growth is “ hardened off” is a waste of time. All some had to do is show me the differece and how that may be better. They didn’t and still havn’t. Quoted bonsai God Ryan, and called me names. How am I the bad guy here?

The 'people that don’t know anything, but think you do'? You tried this once about grafting experience, remember? When I gave ample experience of grafting you basically tried to change the subject and ran away.

Now you're saying I have no experience of Yews? Post a pic of your Yew bonsai, preferably one grown from scratch to show your prowess developing this species and I will post mine :)

The OP was worried about inner foliage getting weak. You could have said that this isn't much of a problem with Taxus as

Inner shoots tolerate shade very well - Yew & Hemlock can sustain inner growth for many seasons and can easily be reinvigorated by opening up the canopy.

You could have said that Yew backbuds prolifically when strong. Needle plucking shoots will easily replace any weak inner growth.

But you didn't... Just splitting hairs of horticultural terms. Forums should be to help others, not to demonstrate your pedantry.
 

just.wing.it

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The 'people that don’t know anything, but think you do'? You tried this once about grafting experience, remember? When I gave ample experience of grafting you basically tried to change the subject and ran away.

Now you're saying I have no experience of Yews? Post a pic of your Yew bonsai, preferably one grown from scratch to show your prowess developing this species and I will post mine :)

The OP was worried about inner foliage getting weak. You could have said that this isn't much of a problem with Taxus as

Inner shoots tolerate shade very well - Yew & Hemlock can sustain inner growth for many seasons and can easily be reinvigorated by opening up the canopy.

You could have said that Yew backbuds prolifically when strong. Needle plucking shoots will easily replace any weak inner growth.

But you didn't... Just splitting hairs of horticultural terms. Forums should be to help others, not to demonstrate your pedantry.
Hey, good points on the yew!
Thank you much!
 

Smoke

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If there is anyone that can stimulate conversation at this place, it’s me. Otherwise it would be BONSAI STUDY GROUP
 

Smoke

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The 'people that don’t know anything, but think you do'? You tried this once about grafting experience, remember? When I gave ample experience of grafting you basically tried to change the subject and ran away.

Now you're saying I have no experience of Yews? Post a pic of your Yew bonsai, preferably one grown from scratch to show your prowess developing this species and I will post mine :)

The OP was worried about inner foliage getting weak. You could have said that this isn't much of a problem with Taxus as

Inner shoots tolerate shade very well - Yew & Hemlock can sustain inner growth for many seasons and can easily be reinvigorated by opening up the canopy.

You could have said that Yew backbuds prolifically when strong. Needle plucking shoots will easily replace any weak inner growth.

But you didn't... Just splitting hairs of horticultural terms. Forums should be to help others, not to demonstrate your pedantry.
It’s not my job nor desire to make or work his tree. To hold me accountable for his tree is bullshit. I’m not here to make every tre for every questionable newbie
 

Paulpash

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It’s not my job nor desire to make or work his tree. To hold me accountable for his tree is bullshit. I’m not here to make every tre for every questionable newbie

I'm calling bullshit on your experience of Yew yet you chime in on this thread - maybe just stick toTrident maple? Hey I'm just 'stimulating conversation' here....
 
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rockm

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I gave you sarcasm back and I’m the bitter old dude. Grow up.
Not really. You gave a veiled insult. Not sarcasm. I know the difference. I also know the difference between a sharp sense of humor and a bitter old man. You're grown up act like it
 

Smoke

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I'm calling bullshit on your experience of Yew yet you chime in on this thread - maybe just stick toTrident maple? Hey I'm just 'stimulating conversation' here....
Are you kidding me... their freakin weeds. Just prune the damn thing....

That’s like the other guy ( Dario) that used to be here saying he could not get a boxwood to back bud. WTF
 

Smoke

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Not really. You gave a veiled insult. Not sarcasm. I know the difference. I also know the difference between a sharp sense of humor and a bitter old man. You're grown up act like it
You want to jump into the fray, be my guest. Just do it without the name calling. You started it.
 

Paulpash

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Are you kidding me... their freakin weeds. Just prune the damn thing....

That’s like the other guy ( Dario) that used to be here saying he could not get a boxwood to back bud. WTF

I disagree - it needs to be wired first & the structure set. Just this alone will let more light in. Keep Yew hairy in development & grow it out to where your intended silhouette will be then thin out & needle pluck to develop inner buds. This is much faster than worrying about inner growth at the expense of branch formation at this point. Grow out the bottom left branch before you cut - you'll get a much stronger response from the tree in terms of backbudding.

This tree has a natural Yew shape to it with multiple sub trunks rising from the main one. I'd run with that image if I were styling it. The shari at the base means that if you want or need to eliminate a subtrunk later down the line you could join the two & maintain a credible image.
 
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just.wing.it

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I disagree - it needs to be wired first & the structure set. Just this alone will let more light in. Keep Yew hairy in development & grow it out to where your intended silhouette will be then thin out & needle pluck to develop inner buds. This is much faster than worrying about inner growth at the expense of branch formation at this point. Grow out the bottom left branch before you cut - you'll get a much stronger response from the tree in terms of backbudding.

This tree has a natural Yew shape to it with multiple sub trunks rising from the main one. I'd run with that image if I were styling it. The shari at the base means that if you want or need to eliminate a subtrunk later down the line you could join the two & maintain a credible image.
This lines up with my very positive experience with this yew https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/apex-styling.24630/
But it was a fluke...been trying to really learn the species since...
 

Paulpash

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This lines up with my very positive experience with this yew https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/apex-styling.24630/
But it was a fluke...been trying to really learn the species since...
Yew are definitely 'head of steam' trees. You can cut them hard & if strong they will backbud for you BUT they will also sulk & crawl along for years if you remove too much. Always keep them hairy in development & they will respond to the next round of work.
 

Walter Pall

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Here is one of my European yews. The first image is of 2011. It looks challenging, better than your yew, but certainly much more expensive even at this state. What can we learn from this? Look at the last image as of spring 2017. This is five and a half years later. With yews one can do it. Just let grow, let outgrow the intended shape and then when you think it is now really too outgrown cut back ruthlessly. It's called the hedging method. Some her frown upon it. Well, show me your results after five years. Any method can only be judged by proven results and not by what your guru thinks of it.


2011-10-QDSC_7908w.jpg2017-04-SAL_8202ofw.jpg
 
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Smoke

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I disagree - it needs to be wired first & the structure set. Just this alone will let more light in. Keep Yew hairy in development & grow it out to where your intended silhouette will be then thin out & needle pluck to develop inner buds. This is much faster than worrying about inner growth at the expense of branch formation at this point. Grow out the bottom left branch before you cut - you'll get a much stronger response from the tree in terms of backbudding.

This tree has a natural Yew shape to it with multiple sub trunks rising from the main one. I'd run with that image if I were styling it. The shari at the base means that if you want or need to eliminate a subtrunk later down the line you could join the two & maintain a credible image.

Great for you giving excellent advice for working his tree. I didn’t offer any possibilities or any advice with how to prune his tree I only responded to the remark below:
The alternative is to wait until summer, when the new growth is fully hardened off...and risk losing the inner foliage.

At some point wing is going to have to just start working the tree and learning as he goes. Advice from all around the world is not really of any help. If he really works this tree, not treat it like a hobby, more like a job, which is how I work all my trees, he will pretty much a pro with yews. There is nothing tricky about them, I’ve worked them many times. Wish I had access to some from the UK dug from chalk pits and old ones around churches that were used as bow material planted there to keep the enemy from stealing the war material.
 

Paulpash

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Great for you giving excellent advice for working his tree. I didn’t offer any possibilities or any advice with how to prune his tree I only responded to the remark below:


At some point wing is going to have to just start working the tree and learning as he goes. Advice from all around the world is not really of any help. If he really works this tree, not treat it like a hobby, more like a job, which is how I work all my trees, he will pretty much a pro with yews. There is nothing tricky about them, I’ve worked them many times. Wish I had access to some from the UK dug from chalk pits and old ones around churches that were used as bow material planted there to keep the enemy from stealing the war material.
I agree that learning as you go is a great way of doing things - the ideal way for things to really sink in but also one that is fraught with problems. I started bonsai before the internet, before forums with only a few books published in the UK just like numerous others on here with many seasons under their belt.

However, with that said, isn't that why the less experienced come here? So they don't have to waste years experimenting with techniques that may completely mess up their material? I wonder how many people gave up the hobby in the early days, pissed off at groping around in the dark, watching trees stagnate or perish without anyone to ask?

This doesn't mean just relying on the internet 'gurus' to read their trees but one facet of learning, in combination with their own experience, observation, practice, interaction with others irl, workshops etc. I don't think you give enough credit to these other facets from those posting here asking for help. This is understandable I guess from your perspective after reading almost identical posts over multiple years on different forums. I can see how easy it can become jading.

The more people doing this hobby the stronger it becomes. If you're on a forum and you're experienced then isn't it better to spend energy & time on helping which I know you are very proficient at? Many times I can quote you for saying 'don't waste your time on that crap material' but lately that is exactly what you have been doing on multiple threads - wasting your time posting stuff that serves no real purpose helping folk out.
 

Smoke

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I agree that learning as you go is a great way of doing things - the ideal way for things to really sink in but also one that is fraught with problems. I started bonsai before the internet, before forums with only a few books published in the UK just like numerous others on here with many seasons under their belt.

However, with that said, isn't that why the less experienced come here? So they don't have to waste years experimenting with techniques that may completely mess up their material? I wonder how many people gave up the hobby in the early days, pissed off at groping around in the dark, watching trees stagnate or perish without anyone to ask?

This doesn't mean just relying on the internet 'gurus' to read their trees but one facet of learning, in combination with their own experience, observation, practice, interaction with others irl, workshops etc. I don't think you give enough credit to these other facets from those posting here asking for help. This is understandable I guess from your perspective after reading almost identical posts over multiple years on different forums. I can see how easy it can become jading.

The more people doing this hobby the stronger it becomes. If you're on a forum and you're experienced then isn't it better to spend energy & time on helping which I know you are very proficient at? Many times I can quote you for saying 'don't waste your time on that crap material' but lately that is exactly what you have been doing on multiple threads - wasting your time posting stuff that serves no real purpose helping folk out.


Whether its true or not, it's not any of your business how I do it. You do it your way and I'll do it mine. If putting you back on ignore solves the problem...consider it done.

The more people doing this hobby the stronger it becomes.

Your not the first to say it, nor probably the last but since you said it, just how do you see more doing it making it stronger. I couldn't care less if anyone else on earth did bonsai but me. I don't see how more doing it makes it stronger? Makes what stronger?

More people are smoking pot now that ever before. Hows that working out? We have more guns now than ever before...hows that working out....

Be careful what you wish for. We might all be forced to enjoy Govt. supplied mallsai.
 
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