Yew 2

[just.wing.it]

I like messing with my yew so much, I went to Home Depot yesterday and grabbed another...
After cleaning out dead stuff...
Nastiest root ball I've ever seen, or smelled.... like the bottom of a swamp.
It's growing strong though.
After surgery...

 

[just.wing.it]

Here's what I'm thinking...
Crude virt, I know. First one, not bad for a caveman.
I'll put some movement into the branches this autumn.

 

[Vin]

"But you still haven't found what you're looking for?"

Looks like a cool project and it seems like you're taking it in a good direction. Keep us posted.

 

[sorce]

That smell means root rot for sure.

Don't eat the Mycorrhiza from it!

Sorce

 

[just.wing.it]

That smell means root rot for sure.

Don't eat the Mycorrhiza from it!

Sorce

The roots that I saw, looked healthy.
I didn't dig into it too much though.
It is all sand, honestly it looks and feels like fine beach sand. It is super dense and heavy...
I just used a hook, all the way around, to expose the fleshy white roost tips, which look good, slip potted and back filled. And the plant is very vigorous.
I really really want to get the sand out....
Next spring, I suppose.

 

[sorce]

I really really want to get the sand out....

Spread your legs and cough!
Lol.....bad Sandy Vag joke.

Sorce

 

[just.wing.it]

Ah, man... the more I read and think about it, the more freaked out I'm getting...
They say Yews can tolerate most any soil conditions, but dislike wet compact soil...which is exactly what the sand ball is.
I might just go in deep with it today, and get it into something that won't worry me so much.
Gotta go get some more soil when the garden center opens.

 

[just.wing.it]

So it's been about 10 months for this one since the last update....
And I did go in deep with it that day, in the previous post... bare rooted and cut back hard, and popped it into some good stuff.
So far so good.
I did the guy wiring one day in December, when I was having the winter blues....
I think all the branches are holding their positions now, but I'm gonna leave em on until I cut back this coming winter.
I think I got the branches all facing a good direction for my goal here. (See previous crappy virt).
Here's how it looks today....:

That's Jack, taking a sniff of Taxine...

 

[_#1_]

Digging the ballsy move of going all out on the roots.

Them new growth color look amazing don't they? At least my neighbor thinks so.

What fert do you use? I'm using fish emulsion along with slow release. Trying to go all naturale on all my plants.

As long as man's best friend knows not to chew on the yew

 

[just.wing.it]

Digging the ballsy move of going all out on the roots.

Them new growth color look amazing don't they? At least my neighbor thinks so.

What fert do you use? I'm using fish emulsion along with slow release. Trying to go all naturale on all my plants.

As long as man's best friend knows not to chew on the yew

I need to step up my fert game....no doubt...
I've been using a 20-20-20 water soluble...the blue stuff.
It's great, but I need to switch it up a bit...

 

[just.wing.it]

Digging the ballsy move of going all out on the roots.

Them new growth color look amazing don't they? At least my neighbor thinks so.

What fert do you use? I'm using fish emulsion along with slow release. Trying to go all naturale on all my plants.

As long as man's best friend knows not to chew on the yew

And as far as the ballsy move.... that's the single best lesson I've learned since I began attempting to create bonsai.
It's all about the roots....so the way I see it, especially with this box store material, you have to bare root it and make the major cuts that you need to make, immediately.
It's do or die on that first repotting....either the tree will love it and respond well, or it will die.
No sense in wasting time.

 

[just.wing.it]

Update on this one too....:
It grew well this year, despite how it looks now...
I cut back all the long shoots in September and most of the foliage you see is the second flush from this year...
I didn't get the back budding I wanted, but I'm sure next year will bring it on!

Before:


I cut off the guy wires:
They held pretty well...minor rebound.

And rewired:





I plan to hollow out that huge ugly wound there....future uro!

 

[just.wing.it]

Update time...
This one has been completely untouched since the last update, Nov '17.
It grew well in spring....took a break for a bit...and it's now pushing a second flush.

I'm waiting until mid Sept to cut back and wire this one.
(I'm treating my several yews all differently this year, coupled with what I already have learned, to try to figure these things out fully.)

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Nice progression. I’m working on a couple of yew’s myself and this helpful.

I think you should only be able to comment on this section if you reference U2, sort of like the Tree Thread, but for music!

Here’s one of my favorites...

“My hands are tied, my body bruised / She's got me with nothing to win and nothing else to lose."

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice progression. I’m working on a couple of yew’s myself and this helpful.

I think you should only be able to comment on this section if you reference U2, sort of like the Tree Thread, but for music!

Here’s one of my favorites...

“My hands are tied, my body bruised / She's got me with nothing to win and nothing else to lose."

Haha!
I'll be honest...
The band U2 never crossed my mind once when I titled this thread...Lol!
Aside from a few songs, I never really got into their stuff too much...
I did however think of the U2 aircraft...which is what U2 named their band after, I think...hahaha...

Maybe I'll pick a Bloody Sunday in September to wire this one...

 

[LanceMac10]

Only U2 you need....Bono was only flirting with himself here. After this, he and him were in a full blown love affair!!!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC4nJr66Up76gWXJiebwdU9eGUdgkmKH_

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/11/15/bono-women-year-awards/93861786/

 

[just.wing.it]

Only U2 you need....Bono was only flirting with himself here. After this, he and him were in a full blown love affair!!!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC4nJr66Up76gWXJiebwdU9eGUdgkmKH_

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/11/15/bono-women-year-awards/93861786/

HahaHaha!
I'll give those a listen, after this Alpine Valley '89 GD show I'm watching now, thanks Lance!

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Nice job. It looks like it’s grown well this year. I really want to get a yew to mess around with.

 

[_#1_]

Great progress @just.wing.it !

Just went over this thread and did I read this correct? Did you bare rooted around June/July?

Thank you for the update info!

 

[just.wing.it]

Great progress @just.wing.it !

Just went over this thread and did I read this correct? Did you bare rooted around June/July?

Thank you for the update info!

Yeah, this was the late one!
June 25 '16.
Didn't skip a beat!