Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
zooba72

Question on Yews?

zooba72
10 years ago

I had about 14 overgrown Yews that I pruned heavily around mid-March. I cut them back from around 5FT to about 2FT. Most of them are showing some growth, but about 4 of them haven't had any buds or signs of life. How much time does it take for them to generate growth? Is it possible they died from the heavy pruning? Any suggestions on how I can verify this? Thank you.

Comments (13)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    yes .. its possible ...

    did you leave any green shoots ....???

    only time will verify ...

    dont know where you are.. but here in MI... the active growing season doesnt start untll late april.. so it surely hasnt been long enough ...

    how about some pix... we get this question often .. and i usually suggest.. that this might not be a project for the front door..

    i am wondering... if you are happy.. at this point.. with the new growth.. all things said ... on the ones that are alive ....

    i understand you are fixated on the dead... but what are your observation on the others

    ken

  • zooba72
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the reply. I'm located in Long Island NY and we had an unusually cold spring. I didn't leave any green shoots on the one's that are bare. However, others that didn't have green are beginning to show some signs of life. And the few that already had some green at the bottom are looking very nice. I'll take a few pics and post them later this evening. These plants are probably about 25 years old and the branches on the bottom are very thick. I had to use a chain saw to remove most of the top.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    Yews are one of the very few conifers that can be cut back to bare stumps and still resprout. Pruning to 'death' is highly unlikely. But that sprouting doesn't happen quickly. :-) This is definitely a situation wherein patience is a virtue. And where the better the growing conditions (great soil, good light, plenty of water, mild climate) the faster the results.

  • zooba72
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Great, that's the answer I was hoping to hear. I can definitely wait, but would hate to have killed these shrubs. Thanks for the reply.

  • zooba72
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    If anyone's interested, I attached a picture of the Yew hedge. Thanks

  • aegis1000
    10 years ago

    You've got to be kidding ...

  • zooba72
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Kidding? Nope. That's a picture of the Yews.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    thats your front door ... ????

    you must be the talk of the neighborhood .... lol

    personally .. i could not look at that for long... perhaps you and gal.. can sit on the porch and sip some wine.. discussing such ...

    i truly wish you luck

    ken

  • tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
    10 years ago

    Decades ago my brother did a similar thing to my folks' yews, although he left a bit more green on them. You are looking at four years minimum before they start to look good.

    tj

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    LOL!! Ken, you've got to get out and about more !! There are some neighborhoods where that would appear to be extremely well-groomed. No derelict cars, no junked appliances, no chained-up pit bulls, discarded beer bottles, stray debris or other flotsam and jetsam........

    Yes, it's not a great look and may not be so for awhile. One can always disguise with a few (dozen) strategically placed annuals. And could make a very interesting look if strung with fairy lights :-)

  • zooba72
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    First off, we call our drink pruno around hereâ¦.. And fortunately, I havenâÂÂt heard a single neighbor complaint since I beat the one guy down with a baseball bat. It sounds as though this neighborhood might be a little too exclusive for you guys. These properties are going for like 50K each and our taxes are almost $300.00 a year. And Yes ⦠Bertha and I do enjoy our pruno on the porch while staring at our stumps.

  • Mike Larkin
    10 years ago

    Ken,
    you tell it like it is.

    Eventually the may fill out, but how long do you want to look at the stumps? I would ask someone how much to remove completely and plant smaller and fewer. And maybe some color. And ones that dont require pruning 2 x a year.

    Ken you make me smile !

  • bethff
    9 years ago

    zooba72,

    Just wondering how your Yews are doing. We were planning on doing the same thing to ours, but not so sure now. Can you post a picture?