Advice on pruning giant yew shrubs

9 years ago

Please bear in mind that I have no shrub maintenance experience whatsoever. I have read the FAQ for this forum, and done some internet research on pruning yews. In pragmatic terms, what I THINK it boils down to is this: If yard reclamation is the priority(it is), you can cut back yews whenever and to whatever extent you like.

I'm in SE Michigan. On the west side of my house are these two giant shrubs, which I assume are yews, although I've never seen any berries on them. They form a wonderful natural windbreak against winter winds and provide an excellent privacy screen. They were already quite large when I bought the house 25 years ago and I've never trimmed them or done anything to them at all, now they are taking over the yard. I'd estimate the height at about 25 ft. and some of the trunk branches are 8 in. diameter.

I've seen some internet videos about how it's safe to cut back yews right to ground level, but what I would really like to do is about a 50% cutback to preserve the windscreen and privacy functions. The other concern is the amount of wood to dispose of - I will have to burn the refuse, and I'll have to dry the wood over the winter so I don't get smoke complaints from the neighbors. Please note that only 0 cost options can be considered. So here are my questions:

1) Is a 50% cutback really a good idea, or should I bite the bullet and cut them back hard?
2) Is it safe to do the cutback right now(June)?
3) Should I just go around the shrubs and cut each branch back 50%?

Thanks for any suggestions, and if there are other questions I should be asking I'd appreciate hearing that too. Again, please keep in mind that my priority here is yard reclamation, but I also don't want to kill the shrubs.

(I couldn't find any instructions on how to post photos in this forum, I apologize if I have broken any rules)

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Comments (7)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
9 years ago
Yes, they are yews.

To answer your questions...

1). Actually 50% is cutting back pretty hard.
2). Hard pruning of yews is suggested to be done in March in Michigan, but you can get away with it anytime before late July.
3). If you cut each branch back 50%, you'll have pretty bare naked trees. Although yours are pretty open with some green inside, if you look close you'll see 80-90% of the green is in that outer 50%.

If they were mine, I'd start with pruning off the horizontal branches at the bottom and then work my way around the trees taking the most protruding branches back to a smaller branch inside. As you do this, note how much you've cut off and make sure there is still 60% of the green you started with still on the trees.

Make sense?

tj
yewmonger
Original Author
9 years ago
tj,

Thanks very much, this sounds like a great idea! When you say 'pruning off', I assume you mean to cut those horizontal branches right back to their base? I could do that right now and it wouldn't be too much wood to dry, then I could start on the rest of it next March. 60% or so should be perfect.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
cut them to about 2 feet ...

so that in two years.. when you are so tired of looking at how horrible they still look.. you can use the stumps to dig them out ...

IMHO ... GET RID OF THEM ... [or at least write us back and tell us when you become overwhelmed with how it all worked out ]

dont forget.. in MI ... you have a very limited growing season ... and peeps in warmer zones ... do this type of thing.. but with the significantly longer growing season ... the plants actually recover ... with our 5 months of active growth ... i dont have much faith in all this ...

live and learn.. good luck with what ever you decide ...

ken
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
9 years ago
Yes, prune the horizontals back to the base.

Ken was traumatized in his youth with pruning yews, so take his comments with a grain of salt. He is correct, however, in that it will be quite an undertaking, but since you value their windbreak and privacy attributes, whether it is worth it will be up to you.

tj
yewmonger
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes, I understand it will be a daunting task involving great pain for both me and the shrubs, but I will move ahead and take tj's approach. Thanks very much for your help!
seagreen_turtle Z5b/6a SE Michigan
9 years ago
Wow yewmonger, I've never seen yews that big. I didn't even know they could grow that tall. I had some really old ones in front of my house when I moved in over 15 years ago. I always sorta kept them pruned down to about 3.5 feet but they increased in girth every year. I started hacking them back two years ago so that I could get between them and the house.

Then I decided to take them out because they were > 50 years old and growing in prime sunny location (what a waste, one of the few conifers (only?) that can tolerate shade and they were taking up full sunshine space. So I cut them back to 1 foot stumps and left them that way all winter until I could find someone who would dig the roots out. I was sad to kill healthy plants but they really were ugly and a maintenance nightmare.

I'm telling you all this to say that, yes, some green sprigs appeared here and there this spring but I can't imagine how long out would take for them to fill in (probably never). So, as you're doing, don't take off too much. If you can wait, take some off and see how they do. Prune more next spring.

Just my two cents.

LOL ken_adrian about leaving the stumps at two feet so you can dig them out when you're tired of looking at them. That made me laugh.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
9 years ago
I had a huge, really old yew in my front foundation bed and I wanted to get rid of it in the worst way, but I just never got the opportunity to do it, so I was so sick of looking at it I decided to prune it and get it smaller and healthier again while I was waiting to get it out of there.

I took 3 years of pruning it moderately and making sure I left enough greenery on each branch. Trying to make the bottom of it wider than the top so the sun would hit the lower branches. It responded beautifully. And just last week, one of my adult kids was here for a visit and remarked how good it looked.

I plan on pruning it more this year too and I guess I better get to it before it's too late for the season.

Good luck!