Nice budding!I collected 3 Field Elms in the middle of May. Not the best of timing, plus minimal root. They were part of a long root off a sucker.
Anyway, potted them up and have them in deep shade still. Im using the sweating method. The soil was initially saturated, then the trees are put in clear plastic bags, tops tied, no holes. Wet sphagnum moss placed on soil surface. Aim is to keep humidity extremely high. Misted every few days/weekly. Yesterday I opened the top of the bags and misted with seaweed water
These are the first pics I took mid may
The 2025 Yamadori/Collecting Thread
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
Housguy
Chumono
I use a succulent, lava rock, pumice mix 1/3 each after I rake out most of the old root ball.
Cruiser
Omono
End of season update:
So far so good. Recovery growth this year is stunted. 2026 shoot-needle size will be bigger.
A good sign.
The canopy was trimmed a little to make it look more like a tree.
So far so good. Recovery growth this year is stunted. 2026 shoot-needle size will be bigger.
A good sign.
The canopy was trimmed a little to make it look more like a tree.
Cruiser
Omono
Other collections from earlier this year.
rutulus
Yamadori
A yew about 6.5 inches in diameter. I know December is probably a bad time to collect—but it was free if I took it right now! I’ve read that yew are a pain to collect but this was a breeze, one hour from start to cleanup. The battery sawzall helped, but there weren’t many thick roots anyway.
The Barber
Chumono
I would reduce the foliage to better match the roots, depending on the amount of feeder roots, they may not be able to sustain that much foliage. If it has a lot of feeder roots, it should stand a pretty good chance of survival during dormancy. Not to mention getting sunlight into the interior will help it to backbud as well, which I've heard yews backbud well.
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rutulus
Yamadori
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I am uneasy removing anything right now. It does have a lot of feeder roots close to the trunk. My big concern now is protecting them from the frost. It was 12 degrees when I left for work this morning 
But it was getting ripped out whether I wanted it or not, so I figured I might as well roll the dice. I’ve got it bedded down with a thick layer of straw at the bottom of the stairs leading down to my basement in the hope it’ll survive the winter.
But it was getting ripped out whether I wanted it or not, so I figured I might as well roll the dice. I’ve got it bedded down with a thick layer of straw at the bottom of the stairs leading down to my basement in the hope it’ll survive the winter.
The Barber
Chumono
Does your basement get cold enough for dormancy? Or you mean outdoor stairs?Thanks for sharing your perspective. I am uneasy removing anything right now. It does have a lot of feeder roots close to the trunk. My big concern now is protecting them from the frost. It was 12 degrees when I left for work this morning
But it was getting ripped out whether I wanted it or not, so I figured I might as well roll the dice. I’ve got it bedded down with a thick layer of straw at the bottom of the stairs leading down to my basement in the hope it’ll survive the winter.
rutulus
Yamadori
It’s outside. I’ve got a walkout basement five steps below ground level, beneath my back deck. I put it down there in a pumice filled box and piled on the straw.
I’ve got an old coal room under my front porch that I thought to use because its temperature is akin to an unheated garage. But I almost died getting the thing down the walkout stairs so that’s where it’s going to stay…
I’ve got an old coal room under my front porch that I thought to use because its temperature is akin to an unheated garage. But I almost died getting the thing down the walkout stairs so that’s where it’s going to stay…
I think it should be fine.
I picked up two stumps on the side of the road in fall of 24 and had nothing better than cutoffs from the plastic barrel sitting on top of the ground and mulch to put them in. they made it through the winter and put on some growth over summer.
I did not do anything with them yet and if they make it through another winter, I'll pot them in the spring in wooden boxes.
More experienced members on this forum warn that yews can just collapse after looking fairly well for a rear or so - a lot of stored resources possibly.
So, fingers crossed for yours and mine.
rutulus
Yamadori
Good to know! Thank you. I’m going to put this thing in a sunny spot this spring and then ignore it for a couple years. I hope we both have good luck!
Mine did better in partial shade. I had one in full sun and the other in partial shade. The sunny one started to do much better after I moved it in a shady spot.
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