Boring Yew

AndyJ

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Hey folks.

I’ve got a yew tree that has been growing away in my grow bed for the last few years - save lifting it trimming roots and replanting it every other year - it’s been left alone. But I‘ve made a silly mistake with it. I didn’t bend the trunk. So now I’ve got a very healthy yew with a nice flat base that’s telegraph pole straight! Rookie error.

To try and make it a bit more interesting, I wondered about splitting the trunk, wiring the two halves and putting some movement into it. Would this work? Would a yew survive this? When would be the best time of year to do this?

Thanks all.

Andy
 

leatherback

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Pictures?

The yew would survive. I would do it before budbreak in spring when it is starting to push and has brought juices back.

But there may be other options.
Pictures?
 

AndyJ

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Thanks Leather. It’s planted in the middle of my grow bed and I can’t reach it to photograph it. But it’s just straight up with lots of branches coming off it all round. A bit like this one. Only bigger. Trunk is about 1 1/2’ thick. Height is about three foot. I thought if I were to split the trunk, doing it while it‘s still relatively young would mean the trunk will be slightly more flexible. And easier to recover?

08AA0F5E-C8B8-40CB-938F-B79E953C2E8C.jpeg
 

Eckhoffw

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Is it currently planted in the grow bed?
Sounds like running it over with truck may be tough where it’s at now. 🤨😁
Hicks yew?
 

leatherback

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How about.. a low prune? Not sure how many years development you still want on there. But a well-rooted yew will resprout and regrow like crazy. Make a sidebranche into the new trunk, and wired in place this time, then let it shoot for a bit?
 
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