Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

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Ces
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Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Ces »

A few months ago a friend of mine procured a reasonably old English Yew for me that was left-over from an intended hedge at one of his job sites. It came to me in a 100 L pot with a 100 mm base and looked like it had been flat trunk chopped about 150 mm above the base about 3-4 years ago.

Initially i kept it in its original pot and cut it back hard to style in the traditional broom fashion. in the process, i created a few areas of jin and shari :whistle: , as well as wiring the lowest "branches" down. :yes: (I was very new to the craft and inexperienced... STILL very, very new in fact)

It recovered very well. Even though it produced juvenile foliage, it was vigorous. Then I started going about investigating future syling possibilities :no:

It was then that i learnt that Taxus are suited to all styles of bonsai EXCEPT broom! :palm: It makes sense... had no idea what I would do with the foliage in a broom style.

Anyway, one of my grow on trees had died (another story), so I had the oppurtunity to decrease my collection and consolidate my space all in one go by removing the dead tree from its foam box and repotting the taxus fom its olympic pool sized container back into the more managable foam box (I cleaned the box and created a new soil mix).

Here's a photo log of most of the days work. Sorry about the phone quality photos.
yew.JPG
(above) The original pot can be seen in the background with my mate's size 14's next to it

yew 2.JPG
yew 3.JPG
yew 4.JPG
yew 5.JPG
yew 6.JPG
yew 7.JPG
Here (above) you can see the earlier deadwood features I had made and initial wiring i had done. After this photo, the wounds where the roots had been removed were covered in cut paste. Sorry, no documentation. The sun went away :x. I didn't want to trim too much from the top today as I was rushed with the light and didn't want to make the main leader choice in a hurry.

And here is the inspiration for what I would like to achieve with this tree in the future...
yew inspiration.jpg
I've got a few questions for any of those with experience with these trees...

Obviously the inspiration tree is a lot larger than my taxus, so primarily, can this image be achieved with the size of my trunk (accounting for foliage size etc.)? Or should i find a spot in the ground for it to grow as a garden tree? As inexperienced as I am, I think it might take 30 years to make this tree into something like a traditional informal upright using an existing branch.

I'm not that patient.

Also, should they get the same care as pines and junipers?

Finally, When it does come to the maintenance stage, is it a matter of pinching back and pulling old needles to induce backbudding or is there another regime I should follow?

As always, I appreciate any help guys.... :aussie:

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Last edited by Ces on November 9th, 2012, 12:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Ces »

:bump: posted this late last night, so hoping a little bump might help the right members (taxus guys I'm thinking of you) to get to see it.

thanks again
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Ces »

Guess i'll give it a crack and see what happens
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Boics »

Hi Ces.

I'm no expert either but mate gotta say those plans are ambitious!
That tree is pretty damn old and awesome!!

From what I can see and if you want results in a short time frame..
You will need too...

1. Get a bit of ramification on those branches..
2. Select a new leader

At the moment it is clear that your branches are merely whips with leaves.
There are in fact no branches..

Have a read up on the species and learn how to create branching and work on the basis for your tree.
Being branches and some sort of Apex.
While you are searching you may even read up on some good info regarding how to create some of the deadwood/hollowed stuff.

Hope that helps.

P.S. I remember seeing some good Graham Potter vids on Youtube with Yew.. Search for Yew, Bonsai, Graham Potter this will get you there...
Here is a direct link for one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt52abVVpVo
One of the fabulous things about growing bonsai is as you get old and decrepit your trees get old and beautiful
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Ces »

G'day Boics,

thanks for the reply mate.

Firstly, let me say i'm not expecting to build anything from this any time soon. Thats why I've put it in a grow box. Anything in a grow box for me is 5 years from a bonsai pot, at least. And even then, its pretty much first styling. I guess my question was can i expect to create a similar outline with foliage that doesnt look gigantic using the trunk base I've got? Given its history, this tree will not in my lifetime become anything as magnificent as the inspiration tree. I would like to make the best out of a free tree that was never meant to be bonsai.

In terms of the leader and branching, I think I said I was going to do that but the light ran out on the day that i was working the tree. I'm yet to do that but may post pictures when I do.

Thanks for the feedback
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by kcpoole »

I would just the tree recover and grow as hard and fast as it can for 2 years to build the girth in the upper trunk. Then once you happy with the size of that then Start to cut back the branching to build ramification.

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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Bougy Fan »

I would agree with Ken - let it recover for a while and grow strongly before worrying too much about styling.
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Ces »

Thanks ken and bougy.

I don't plan on styling this tree anytime soon. I guess thats the main reason for the post. Short and sweet: should I bother with the years of caring for the tree or am i wasting my time and money?
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by MoGanic »

Mate go for it, it's not a huge waste of time as your mainly waiting for things to happen while you do other things. Money? You already put it in a new box!! New soil! etc.. the rest wont come for years by which time you will have worked out whether you do or dont want the tree.

Ultimately mate, you have great carving practice material if nothing else and you will learn lots from it.

Also from what the guys are saying, I think this will make a good bonsai and that's what they might be alluding to.

-Mo
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by Ces »

MoGanic wrote: Money? You already put it in a new box!! New soil! etc..
Ultimately mate, you have great carving practice material if nothing else and you will learn lots from it.

-Mo
Hey mo,

would love to give it a carve in a few years but I'm getting a little paranoid about water usage as a few years ago I went back to school and my fiance and I have had to take on few tenants. I have taken up bonsai since then and because i'm in inner sydey I'm on main water.

Just got our bill today and we're 250 L up from usage at the same time last year. At that stage we had one less adult living here.

I got the bug hard and collected a lot of pre-bonsai quickly, so I would like to limit my water footprint as much as possible.

I'll grow it on and if I'm dissatisfied with it, any sydney siders who would like to have it, can.

Such a shame about water usage where i am. 6 feet below my property is a running water table but i cannot access it because the lovely Orica company has contminated it.

thanks for contributing everyone.

edit: added 'it'. also, in term of water usage, our extra tenant only moved in a few week ago.
Last edited by Ces on November 11th, 2012, 4:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Taxus Baccata- Repot & Re-think

Post by MoGanic »

Mate I have a bunch of big blue water containers, with a pump and some rain they're perfect for watering bonsai. If only you were in melb :-(
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