Yew dig? [Insert silly Yew pun here]

Atom#28

Chumono
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Eastern WA
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I dug up this old yew out of my yard. I’d been eyeballing this guy since I first learned about using landscape material for bonsai! This project is going to take a long time, and I have lots of decisions to make. For now, it’s in 80% pumice 20% Napa, resting in the shade for a week, and then we spend a summer growing good roots (hopefully!) Wish me luck!
Any suggestions to help me be more successful at bonsai, re: this tree or the process in general, are appreciated.

Hard to see, but the base has a big tunnel in it, and also has almost completely engulfed a golf ball sized basalt rock.

3A10C146-D2CB-43DB-BFD3-125B48EB857D.jpegFACFE28F-5A49-4DA6-BE83-130C39324507.jpeg07DA2CAF-2821-4DE6-A217-B110708785AA.jpeg67749375-F9D5-42E2-BDD8-20B07A062A69.jpegC1435B67-A531-4A9E-816C-D10924182EF3.jpegCB54789F-9D95-4A3A-B224-C1B1632D0BF3.jpegF5C77C9F-769D-413B-8EB3-507507C5CA27.jpeg3640B215-EC2B-4EC2-AF71-A828D795031B.jpeg61BAED12-D6DA-4D56-8CE3-AE0A4573D79E.jpeg970F0D16-1A49-484C-A860-86FFA633FF7A.jpeg
 

Atom#28

Chumono
Messages
557
Reaction score
1,259
Location
Eastern WA
USDA Zone
6b
Update. Lots of work done on this yew. Trying my hand at big bends with raffia and a strong copper backbone. This is a really bizarre form, but I’m starting to like it.

Here it is before this fall’s work.

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and then the raffia/copper backbone was applied:
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and a little bit of carving:

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