Free neighborhood landscape yew

[MrFancyPlants]

I kind of rushed the potting as I was running out of afternoon, but I am hopeful for it:

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Big project. It will keep you busy for a few years.

 

[canoeguide]

I kind of rushed the potting as I was running out of afternoon, but I am hopeful for it:

Do you have any thoughts on how you might style this yet? Or is this more of a "get it collected and I'll think about styling later" tree? I mainly ask because I have access to some similar landscape yews but I don't see a lot of vision for them (yet). It's hard to see a tree in a bush!

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Do you have any thoughts on how you might style this yet? Or is this more of a "get it collected and I'll think about styling later" tree? I mainly ask because I have access to some similar landscape yews but I don't see a lot of vision for them (yet). It's hard to see a tree in a bush!

So far, it is definitely the later.. see if it survives collecting and the new environment. Styling will be icing on the cake.

But I did remove some branches already so I have a general approach in mind to work backwards from what you have. Cut back to back buds and remove redundant branches, generally preferring thinner branches and ones with more movement and branching. This should be done over time and with the health of the tree taking priority. If only a single branch is removed in a session it will let more light in, stimulate back budding, and give you a better view into what designs are available. Only remove branches that you know will have no part in the design ( when in doubt, leave it on). Maybe there is a thick branch at a right angle; start there and reapproach.

I am somewhat dubious that mine will recover from collection. I would have planted in the ground with amended soil if the wife would have permitted but I guess we’ll wait and see now. Some said these can coast on emergent reserves for a year or three after an unsuccessful collection, so I don’t want to get too ahead of myself on design.

 

[leatherback]

Nice yew. Only 727 days before you know wether it makes it

get it collected and I'll think about styling later" tree? I mainly ask because I have access to some similar landscape yews but I don't see a lot of vision for them (yet). It's hard to see a tree in a bush!

Key is.. get it to be stable in the pot. Wait till you get good extension growth. At that point you can thin out all the green on there and look at the bones. You might end up removing most of the tree and end up with just a few stumps to build upon. But Yew are iffy when it comes to transfer into containers. Best to not make plans before you know what lives and what doesn't.

One we did last week at a mates place, after 3 years in the pot: