To late to collect yews?

[WNC Bonsai]

My neighbor has a couple old, large yews in his backyard that are due to be torn out so I offered to dig the smaller one out. However, I told him it might be too late to dig it this year and I may need to wait until fall or next winter. So my questions are, when is it too late to lift one of these? I don’t see any new growth on them as yet and most of the other conifers in my yard have only sparsely put out new buds—mainly hemlocks. My other questions are do these backbud on old growth. The trees are 20-50 years old and leggy with most foliage near the ends , so I might end up having to lop them off and just pull what I can out of the ground as far as roots are concerned. Any helpful suggestions are appreciated. I’ll try to get some photos tomorrow.

 

[Dav4]

My neighbor has a couple old, large yews in his backyard that are due to be torn out so I offered to dig the smaller one out. However, I told him it might be too late to dig it this year and I may need to wait until fall or next winter. So my questions are, when is it too late to lift one of these? I don’t see any new growth on them as yet and most of the other conifers in my yard have only sparsely put out new buds—mainly hemlocks. My other questions are do these backbud on old growth. The trees are 20-50 years old and leggy with most foliage near the ends , so I might end up having to lop them off and just pull what I can out of the ground as far as roots are concerned. Any helpful suggestions are appreciated. I’ll try to get some photos tomorrow.

I’ve successfully collected very old foundation yews this time of year when the buds are just beginning to swell. These old yews will back bud down low but I can take a long time. Get as much root as you can and don’t be fooled by decent growth this summer… I’ve had yews Push new growth post collection, seemingly acting as if they are recovering, only to turn brown and wither away within 12 to 18 months.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Ok, I managed to get some photos just now. There actually are three different trees although only one looks like the best option with a nice compact trunk. The other two are a bit leggy, and bushy. I also took a shot of the foliage ends to show the state of them. There also is more foliage closer to the trunk than I expected so back budding may not be a big problem. Do these usually have a big tap root to deal with? Have ripcrocating saw, will chop.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I am a bit surprised none of our european friends have anything to add on this. Is Graham Potter the only one over their working with yews?

 

[Dav4]

I suspect the Europeans would agree with what’s been said already?

 

[just.wing.it]

I suspect the Europeans would agree with what’s been said already?

I do!... but I'm just an American....so...

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I suspect the Europeans would agree with what’s been said already?

Dav4–I did not discount the value of your advice, just asking whether any others might have a different perspective or more information on collecting yews. I did find a little more info on Graham Potter’s website, especially that the optimal time seems to mid-April to mid-May (in England) which seems to coincide with when yews put out new root growth. As with medical advice it is always helpful to have a second opinion.

 

[sorce]

I think Yew murtherferkers are just doing it wrong!

Seriously....I don't know what Graham collects, except from the skip...but even if they are England's version of our yard shrubs, there is easily a 1000 year difference in the establishment of the close surface feeder roots he may be able to collect..

And from a climate with "no sun".

It is very possible what takes Graham 3 years can take us 6.

@parhamr may be the closest.
@Dav4 in that red clay could be 12 years...

But I think there is a problem with the amount of foliage kept too...

Seems people think because they backbud, or have that small low growth they can hack em back and expect success...

But time and time again it doesn't work.

If you keep every bit of foliage you may get down to 3 years, but sure no sooner.

Every bit you remove adds to recovery time...

It is almost impossible to make this work logistically.

Sorce

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Here in Europe, the yews are pushing new roots already. And buds seem to be in the extending phase. My mom's friend gave me one from her yard this past saturday.
That's all I know about them.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Well, after looking at the extending buds on these I decided to hold off on collecting. Fortunately my neighbor is not in a hurry to get them out of his yard as they are in an inconspicuous corner. The main concern is his dogs love to dig and chew on just about anything but so far have left the yews alone—maybe they don't taste good. At any rate this gives me almost a year to plan this collecting effort.

So my questions to you folks are what steps would you take in the interim? Should I start to prune back the overgrown top growth in hopes it will result in some backbudding further down on the trunk? How about digging a trench around the trunk to encourage more surface root growth? What would you do?

 

[defra]

@Ruben Bouwmeester collected quite a few hes dutch just like me maybe he can give you some advice our european climate is different than yours so the time frame yews can be dug up will differ from your location
Good thing his dog dont eat yew theyr toxic

 

[just.wing.it]

Well, after looking at the extending buds on these I decided to hold off on collecting. Fortunately my neighbor is not in a hurry to get them out of his yard as they are in an inconspicuous corner. The main concern is his dogs love to dig and chew on just about anything but so far have left the yews alone—maybe they don't taste good. At any rate this gives me almost a year to plan this collecting effort.

So my questions to you folks are what steps would you take in the interim? Should I start to prune back the overgrown top growth in hopes it will result in some backbudding further down on the trunk? How about digging a trench around the trunk to encourage more surface root growth? What would you do?

I'd cut it back hard, and also go around the root mass with a long spade.

 

[Ruben Bouwmeester]

I digged them out too the end of may and cleared out the old soil with water. after may (depending on weather and how far the tree's are) i left the rootball intact. You can really hit them hard once. They can thrive for a long time on old energie. Best time in my area is march, april and may.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I digged them out too the end of may and cleared out the old soil with water. after may (depending on weather and how far the tree's are) i left the rootball intact. You can really hit them hard once. They can thrive for a long time on old energie. Best time in my area is march, april and may.

Thanks for those specifis, it looks like you are probably a month anead of me (I am in zone 7a). Can you comment on visual cues for when to collect such as as soon as the buds start to swell or pop? Is it too late once the buds begin to push out new green growth and extend?

I wrote Tony Tickle but his response was “search my website”. Unfortunately he is long on styling but very short on collection specifics. I did note that he did say that on all the trees he collects he washes the roots of all native soil with the exception being pines. In another video it shows him visiting the same tree over several years and cutting back the branches in advance of digging. These seem to be pretty robust trees that backbud like crazy even on old woody branches and stems.

 

[Ruben Bouwmeester]

sorry for my late answer. if those yew's are having new grow like this.

I would dig them out en clear the root base. Tony Tickle his yew's are yama's. I have no experience on those.
Backbudding is not a problem, budt thats for later. Do you have pictures?

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Pictures are at the beginning of this thread. Thanks for the followup.

 

[Ruben Bouwmeester]

Those buds are from the second flush of grow? if so, beter leef as much roots intact.
they look like. taxus baccata fastigiata.