Kadebe's Taxus Baccata

[Kadebe]

In October I planted 10 yew baccata.
With all of them a tourniquet has been applied


Will follow up this thread

 

[leatherback]

With all of them a tourniquet has been applied

Why? Taxus will grow great roots, assuming you take a spade to them every once in a while.

What are your plans for developing these? Just going to let them grow, or will you follow a more targeted direction?

 

[Kadebe]

I don't have a picture of the roots, but these were flat shaped, not radial. Literally to plant as a hedge?
Tourniquet of course as an experiment and learning process. For 1.5 euro per plant it is a bargain.
While they are in the ground I will prune and shape them. The intention is to grow a thicker trunk.
I think within 2 or 3 years I will take them out and work the roots for the first time. Then maybe back in the ground in a pond basket.
Don't know yet how it will work out in the future. Depends on how they evolve and of course also on the wise advice that I will certainly get from the experienced on this forum

 

[leatherback]

Keep in mind: There will grow a big fat leader, and then stop growing lower branches. I have a few waiting to be potted. Every 2 years or so I take the tops out, leaving the lower branches alone.

This is one of them, which I styled last year, note the big low yin, the result of low branches allowed to do their thing, keeping the top under control:

 

[Kadebe]

Thanks,
So... at what height I should take the tops out the first time?

 

[leatherback]

So... at what height I should take the tops out the first time?

That is up to you Do let them grow tall, get some girth. Taxus is however capable of making perfectly boring straight round trunks. Absolutely horrible for bonsai. So so not let them just do their thing.

I am lazy so I do not measure. I just walk around and reduce when I see too much growth. How much? Too much!

 

[clem]

the taxus baccata grows & thicken very quickly in the ground (as soon as your have a lot of foliage & roots), and it back bud very easily too. The cuspidata taxus grows slower and the back budding is less important. I wanted to write that info as i learned it recently on a Bonsai Focus magasine ^^

If it was my yew project, i would let the roots grow in the ground for many many years, just checking the base of the trunk (nebari) to correct/cut ugly roots eventualy but i would let everything grow as much as possible. Removing the tree from the soil is an option, but your tree will grow much slower after that transplantation, until it makes new roots, getting bigger and bigger, same as the branches/trunk. Just my 2cents

 

[Kadebe]

Do let them grow tall, get some girth. Taxus is however capable of making perfectly boring straight round trunks. Absolutely horrible for bonsai. So so not let them just do their thing.

So.. while getting some girt, you already use the technique clip & grow and get movement in the trunk and branches?

If it was my yew project, i would let the roots grow in the ground for many many years, just checking the base of the trunk (nebari) to correct/cut ugly roots eventualy but i would let everything grow as much as possible. Removing the tree from the soil is an option, but your tree will grow much slower after that transplantation, until it makes new roots, getting bigger and bigger, same as the branches/trunk. Just my 2cents

It was my intention to remove from the soil in 2022, work the roots, and then replant in the soil, but in a pond basket or colander to get the roots automatically pruned

 

[clem]

It was my intention to remove from the soil in 2022, work the roots, and then replant in the soil, but in a pond basket or colander to get the roots automatically pruned

ok, maybe try 2 technics ? you have a lot of yews : why not putting some of them in a colander in the soil, and for example, 5 yews directly in the soil ? just to learn, to compare, to get a "how to do" ? for me the colander will limitate the growth and thickening of the roots and consequently the growth of the trunk. It aslo depends on your objectives : big trunk ? thin trunk ? shohin or big tree ? etc etc
Good luck anyway

 

[Kadebe]

ok, maybe try 2 technics ? you have a lot of yews : why not putting some of them in a colander in the soil, and for example, 5 yews directly in the soil ? just to learn, to compare, to get a "how to do" ? for me the colander will limitate the growth and thickening of the roots and consequently the growth of the trunk. It aslo depends on your objectives : big trunk ? thin trunk ? shohin or big tree ? etc etc
Good luck anyway

Thanks for the good advice..