Central Ohio 10' yews up for grabs

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

There is a property close to Pataskala, Oh with about 10-12 of these monsters and there's a few big burning bushes around the back side. They are going to clear this land for development. Is there anyone close that will want to help me get at least one of each and I'll give you a hand getting some for you. If I don't have help I might just try and wench one out of the ground and replant it in the ground here and see if it will make it before potting. Any advise is welcome. I'm trying to get the demo date and might be able to wait till spring. Some of these have trunks like 2 liters and some have good movement some dont.

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

This one has some inside growth.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Hopefully they can wait until spring. If they waited this long...I can't see why not.

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

Got ahold of the demo crew today and they are planning on using the house for the fireman to practice on in January. So should I dig these up now while the ground is soft enough? And might put these back in the ground here except a couple. Not looking forward to sifting that much soil.

 

[bonsaibp]

If you have a place they can be protected over the winter I'd cut back hard-leaving maybe 30% of the foliage and put in training pots now. who knows what the fire dept. will do to them.

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

As soon as the fire department is done the bulldozers are moving in. If I put them all in wood boxes on the ground and mulch them in I can leave them out right? First time wintering plants for me.

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

What about 100% turface and not sifting it and leave 1/4" gaps between boards with screen in the bottom? Anyone done this? I know it's completely inorganic and will need fertilizer come spring time.

 

[bonsaibp]

As soon as the fire department is done the bulldozers are moving in. If I put them all in wood boxes on the ground and mulch them in I can leave them out right? First time wintering plants for me.

I'll let someone with more wintering experience answer that. We don't have winter here.

 

[Dav4]

As soon as the fire department is done the bulldozers are moving in. If I put them all in wood boxes on the ground and mulch them in I can leave them out right? First time wintering plants for me.

These trees will need exceptional winter protection- essentially frost free conditions- to have a good chance at surviving. The next best option is to collect them and place them in a protected area out of wind and sun in your yard (or outbuilding) and mulch them heavily.

I'd think long and hard before putting all this effort digging and potting up these trees to have them do poorly. Also, they have large trunks but the foliage is nowhere near it...it will take many years to push the foliage back to the trunk, and only then can you start styling. This is a long, long, long term project....assuming they survive. Good luck.

 

[fore]

I dug up some huge yews this summer. They are in boxes that I misted all summer. I have them on the ground in my hoop house so the roots should stay above freezing all winter. Don't you have a garage or some out bldg. to store them in?

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

Yeah I have a two car attached garage that I'm keeping most of my trees in. My wife parks in there as well and we had plans on ordering some firewood this winter and storing it in there as well. I think I can just replant them in the yard and in a year or so start getting the growth down the trunks.

 

[JudyB]

I think I can just replant them in the yard and in a year or so start getting the growth down the trunks.

If you mean to replant them this year in your yard, I don't think you'll have much success. Read Dave4s reply again...
These trees would need to be super protected to make it, esp this year, as it's looking to be long and very cold. We don't get enough reliable snow cover here to insulate the ground for something that needs extra protection.

 

[Dav4]

Yeah I have a two car attached garage that I'm keeping most of my trees in. My wife parks in there as well and we had plans on ordering some firewood this winter and storing it in there as well. I think I can just replant them in the yard and in a year or so start getting the growth down the trunks.

If you mean to replant them this year in your yard, I don't think you'll have much success. Read Dave4s reply again...
These trees would need to be super protected to make it, esp this year, as it's looking to be long and very cold. We don't get enough reliable snow cover here to insulate the ground for something that needs extra protection.

I think the only chance of successfully transplanting these very large shrubs from one yard to the other would require one of those mechanized tree spades...with hand digging, it will be virtually impossible to get a large enough rootball.

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

Ok maybe I can put a couple in the garage and just leave the rest to burn. I hate seeing it go down that way but It would be a lot of work to get all of them for the little chance of them making it. Judy your kinda close do you know anyone around here that would want some of them?

 

[Poink88]

If I am in your shoes...I'll invest the extra time to prune (and dig down a bit) several of them to inspect the trunk line up close before choosing which ones to dig. More work but I believe it is well worth the effort.

Good luck!

 

[tom tynan]

If I am in your shoes...I'll invest the extra time to prune (and dig down a bit) several of them to inspect the trunk line up close before choosing which ones to dig. More work but I believe it is well worth the effort.

Good luck!

Yes...as a former yew digger it is better to pick the very best trunk line now. The real problem is back budding. Of course yews will back bud and will even do so low on the trunk but the catch is having a good full root system. You don't have that after you dig one up. In my opinion if you really want these (and they are under threat of being ripped out with building demolition ?) and this is your only option - then you build the biggest box you can afford. At least 12" deep and 3 feet square. Strong enough for tree and soil. Lot's of bonsai soil not dirt. In a box this size pushed next to garage and sitting on a few bricks they will likely survive. So....are these yews really worth that level of effort? You will have to decide. Good luck, Tom

 

[bougie nights]

Jim-
I'm afraid the timing is not on your side. You can dig at this time, but you should preserve as much of a rootball as possible. That may likely be a problem for you since these are so big and probably have sprawling roots. If you manage to get one out, plant it in the ground somewhere protected. If you go the garage route, hopefully you have a large enough vessel to contain the roots. I wouldn't bother with bonsai soil yet - by next spring, it it buds up and puts out new growth, then you are probably in the clear. But even then, I would give it an extra year to recover.

 

[tom tynan]

Jim....as a follow-up to my first response I looked at your photos. Many straight branches all originating low. Do any of these have a dominant central leader? Those are the better trees. I am concerned that these are not worth your efforts. It will take years and many hours of carving to create something workable. Huge level of effort to remove a yew esp large old yew. Tom

 

[JudyB]

Ok maybe I can put a couple in the garage and just leave the rest to burn. I hate seeing it go down that way but It would be a lot of work to get all of them for the little chance of them making it. Judy your kinda close do you know anyone around here that would want some of them?

Not that I know, perhaps you could contact the CBS, and see if any members would be interested. Just sort of a lot of work at the wrong time, so little if any payoff. Esp. as these would be a very long long term project, and lots of space and soil.... Not everything is worth collecting, just cause it's big...

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Well, if you consider what your time is worth, I would definitely try a couple, put one or two in training pots and protect them in your garage, it is either get them now or wait until a different opportunity comes along at a different place and time. Old landscape material gets ripped out all the time, the trick is finding out where and when.

If your back is not aching too bad, you can also try just sticking them in the ground, without protection. Definitely less likely to survive, but you never know, yews are tough and maybe one will make it.

I'd just look for another project, but my back hurts right now.