What would yew do?

[apolaine]

I have a mid-size (3-4m) English yew - Taxus baccata - in my garden that was a little potted “Christmas tree” planted next to a very big Horse Chestnut. The yew’s branches are growing into the chestnut’s and I need to either heavily cut it back or remove it. I doubt it’s possible to dig out the root ball as a yamadori without major disturbance to the chestnut’s roots.

It’s basically a formal upright shape. Not too interesting for a yew. But I’m considering air layering either several branches or sections or near the base. Though this would give me a thick trunk about 15-20cm in diameter and not a lot else until the bigger branches about a metre up. There’s lots of small shoot along the trunk, so something interesting could be done lower down over time.

Does anyone have any opinions on what they would do in my position?

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

I wonder if you couldn't layer yourself an entire forest, I don't know what else to use those straight trunks for. I think you can do it, provided there is enough variation in the lot.

Sorce

 

[apolaine]

Well I wondered about this. How many air layers could a tree cope with at once? It must stress it considerably.

 

[leatherback]

I would not worry about the Yew not coping. You can make the trunk completely bare and next year it will be green again. Once established, these are bulletproof.

I would guiess you can get away with trimming back and digging in 2021/2022 though.

 

[apolaine]

I’d have to air layer rather than dig it up. It’s way too close to the chestnut and basically sitting on top of the chestnut’s roots. I would imagine they’re very tangled. One option is to air layer the trunk, plant it and then air layer other sections or work my way down from the top.