Digging a somewhat big yew

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
Hey All,

At the moment I am tempted to go out and pull a larg Yew from a garden. For years I have wanted a thick-trunked specimen and this is a freebee. Thing is about 5*7ft in size, been trimmed that way for a decade of more sitting in an urban yard. It is the yellow, probably summergold, on the left.
256462
Thing is.. On Saturday they will rip everything out and dump it in the bin. So I should dig before then. Which I could. However, we are currently in the driest summer since.. dunno, at least 40 years. Trees are showing autum colours; We have had someting like 8mm of rain in the last 6 weeks. Dry warm wind abound. So bad circumstances in my book.

As I have a bit of a hit and miss relation with digging yews, I would love to hear your thoughts on whether this is a lost cause already. Currently I am thinking:

- Cut part of the tree back, leaving a good number of branches with loads of growing tips. Ideally I bring it back to 4ft tall, and leave the width as much as possible.
- Pull it out with a 2ft diameter rootbal to match the containers I have. Might have to build a box, if the roots go deep down.
- Leave the rootball alone, just put it in the box/container, backfill with 1inch pumice grains. Water & cover the pot against direct infiltration
- Chuck in morning sun & shower twice a day

Any thoughts?
Is it a lost case? I do not want to collect something that has less than 50/50 shot of making it.
 

TomB

Omono
Messages
1,139
Reaction score
6,833
Location
S.E. UK
Graham Potter is currently recommending repotting Yews now in the UK climate - if you've not already seen it have a look at his new video; you might find his advice on aftercare etc relevant to your plans. There was a link posted on Walter's summer repotting thread. Obviously your conditions are a bit worse than ours right now.

On a different note, do you actually like the Summergold cultivar? I find the yellow foliage unattractive. What I mean is, is this a tree you actually want rather than just something that's available for digging? If I wanted the tree I would go for it, even with less than 50/50 chance.
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
On a different note, do you actually like the Summergold cultivar? I find the yellow foliage unattractive. What I mean is, is this a tree you actually want rather than just something that's available for digging? If I wanted the tree I would go for it, even with less than 50/50 chance.
Yup, saw the potter video & I do summer repotting, but not with this weather :).

I have a number of yews, none of which are the summergold. I do like the changes in color. There is a T. baccata 'fastigata' available on the same plot. But I do not like the vertical habit of the tree. Then again.. If I go there and both are still there, I might change my mind when I can poke my head in the shrub. The trunk needs to offer more than a perfect cilinder. Else the dig is off no matter..
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,651
Location
London, England
do you have a green house or poly tunnel. im guessing when Potter says he then keeps the tree out of wind and in full sun, its been left in a greenhouse or poly tunnel.
i repotted a nursery yew yest and have placed it in the green house, which gets a few hours of full sun each day, gets pretty hot in there.
however, the forecast here for the next week or so is cloudy/rain, short spells of sun
 

TomB

Omono
Messages
1,139
Reaction score
6,833
Location
S.E. UK
There is a T. baccata 'fastigata' available on the same plot. But I do not like the vertical habit of the tree. Then again.. If I go there and both are still there, I might change my mind when I can poke my head in the shrub. The trunk needs to offer more than a perfect cilinder. Else the dig is off no matter..

I've often wondered whether 'fastigiata' would make a decent formal upright IF you can get the primary and secondary branches down to horizontal level or below. Would need to be done with very young growth I expect.
 

ralf

Mame
Messages
100
Reaction score
129
Location
Saxony
USDA Zone
7b
Repotting a yew from a container or digging sizeable tree from a garden that is for me a very different kind of activity.
Nobody can seriously give you a number to judge a survival rate - too many unknowns to judge. If you still like it once you see the inner part ( roots spread, trunk flare and trunk line ) then just do it. That is I would have a go...
My experience with digged yews: full shade and high humidity till the first signs of new growth and then semishade before moving to the place of the garden which I believe is the best for yews.
- high humidity - a shower twice a day may not be enough. A reasonable thick bed of gravel could improve the microclima there.

Good luck
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,907
Reaction score
45,574
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
Odd we have been rather dry here lately.

Any thoughts?

I always feel going to better conditions is always beneficial and helpful for success.

In this case, this tree will have already had it's root tips dried out, it's getting "smaller" to stay alive, so it should be easier/safer to collect.

Once it hits fresh wet soil it'll rebound!

Good timing IMO!

Sorce
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
I have a greenhouse, but not one that would fit this (And it would get too hot; Even tomatoes are suffering there now). I am thinking about getting "painters foil" and wrapping this around. Leaving top and bottom open, but blocking wind & keeping moisture in.

Once it hits fresh wet soil it'll rebound!

You might be right..
some 6 years ago I dug a hedgerow of yews in 35c/96F hot summer weather. I lost 1 of the 10 I collected that day. Just planted them in full ground and watered once a day. 4 inches new growth at the start of winter.

I think my main problems have come from bare-rooting after collection, and/or too wet soil.

Anybodywho has good experience collecting in summer, please let me know how you went about it.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,384
Reaction score
10,586
Location
Netherlands
I have a yew sapling, maybe 4 years old, that I forget about constantly. I water it maybe once every week.
It has dropped it's tips, but it's back budding like crazy. It just keeps bouncing back.

Maybe mosquito mesh will work better in keeping the shade and inducing high local humidity (since the mesh stops hard air flows but still allows ventilation).

Just.. Watch your back and drink enough water while digging!
 

bonsaichile

Omono
Messages
1,257
Reaction score
1,338
Location
Denver, CO
USDA Zone
5b
I am not sure this tree is worth all the trouble. Aside from the trunk, did you take a look inside to see how it looks like? In my experience, these hedges are unusuable for bonsai since all the interior growth is dead. The only have foliage at the end of the branches. Evaluate more than the trunk to see if its worth injuring your back for!
 

defra

Masterpiece
Messages
3,237
Reaction score
5,991
Location
The netherlands Zone 8b
USDA Zone
8b
Good luck digging that jelle!
That size of a bush must have a decent size trunk I too like the summer gold :)
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
I am not sure this tree is worth all the trouble. Aside from the trunk, did you take a look inside to see how it looks like? In my experience, these hedges are unusuable for bonsai since all the interior growth is dead. The only have foliage at the end of the branches. Evaluate more than the trunk to see if its worth injuring your back for!
But that is the fun part of Yews. You get it established. Then you trim the canopy open and it will backbud like madness.
Getting foliage back to the trunk is none of my concern.

I just several small yews like this one. I want a bigger one!
20190422_R14A1463.jpg
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
Very annoyed. Just was told that he told someone else to come and collect them. As I only wanted 1, he gave them to someone else. I do not have to bother passing by tomorrow. :(.
 

defra

Masterpiece
Messages
3,237
Reaction score
5,991
Location
The netherlands Zone 8b
USDA Zone
8b
Very annoyed. Just was told that he told someone else to come and collect them. As I only wanted 1, he gave them to someone else. I do not have to bother passing by tomorrow. :(.
Bummer
I'll keep my eye open for yo, know a big one that will be allowed to be dug either this year or early spring next year
 

woodworker

Sapling
Messages
25
Reaction score
218
Location
Northern Illinois
USDA Zone
5
Very annoyed. Just was told that he told someone else to come and collect them. As I only wanted 1, he gave them to someone else. I do not have to bother passing by tomorrow. :(.

I'm sorry to hear this. The same thing happened to me with a tree recently. I had even dug an enormous hole on my property in preparation for it. And now my wife isn't exactly thrilled about my new hobby. LOL!
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
I'm sorry to hear this. The same thing happened to me with a tree recently.
Wanna know how annoyed I was.. Went to dig another plant!
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
Hm.. wondering.. Another freebee.

The fenceline is made with standard 6ft panels I believe. Making this near 12ft / 3 1/2 metres tall.

I have asked for some shots of the trunk to decide whether I can even get it into my car, weight-wise!
Is it too big to consider.. What do you nutters say?

257517
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,891
Reaction score
26,716
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
Can you show the base/nebari of the trunk ?
not yet
I have asked for some shots of the trunk to decide whether I can even get it into my car, weight-wise!
But knowing Yew, it probably has a few heavy roots below-ground. It will require some digging to see the nebari.
 
Top Bottom