Trimming a Yew Bonsai

I have had this Yew in my collection for over 8 years, Sandor Papp styled the tree at Bonsai Europa 2015. It was time to trim back the new growth to encourage back budding. This needs to be done mid way through the season and new growth kept in check.
To Learn more about creating bonsai visit my blog: yamadori.co.uk/

[@mikbonsai]

Tony, thank you for sharing your work on this Yew.

[@mimoochodom2684]

Brilliant tree. You are so lucky to have such stock in your country.

[@AkronCantonBonsai]

Tony, Thank you so much for this and the other videos on working with yews. They are very informative. I've never seen yews in the wild, and that video was inspirational. Our yews here in Ohio are all discarded shrubbery, but some have amazing trunks and deserve a new life as bonsai. Your videos will help us improve our skills when with these tress.

[@TonyTickle]

thanks for your kind words

[@markmondrinos7721]

Beautiful tree, thank you for the inspiration and insight - here in northeast USA we have access to Thuja Occidentalis (white cedar) which are often styled in a manner reminiscent of this yew. Wish we had more access to Taxus.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Mark, taxus are commonly available in the northeastern USA as 'yardadori' - old or overgrown shrubs around homes and other buildings. Most people have no idea how to prune them to recover the desired shape or return them to the desired size, so they are often discarded.
I always wanted to try air-layering a taxus, too.
There is a native taxus in the region a well, Taxus canadensis, but it does not grow as vigorously and may not be as good a subject for bonsai as the baccata or cuspidata species.

[@markmondrinos7721]

Thanks for the reply! Funny you mention that, I've had my eye on several Yew "urbandori" here in Philly, very old shrub-style trees in front of people's houses. Most would be a hard subject for bonsai as the foliage is only on the tips of leggy branches, resulting from topiary style trimming over the years, but some of the trunks are amazing. Not sure how they respond to hard cut-back, but air layering would be a good option if feasible - but probably more trouble than it is worth. It would be ideal to find better raw material. I have yet to see native Yew in nature in the east Poconos region, but I will keep my eye out!

[@CuyahogaWing]

It's true, we have abundant yews here in northeast Ohio, most of which have been trimmed into the typical box-type hedge/unnatural shape which does them no justice. I looked up bonsai techniques with the hope of bringing these otherwise beautiful shrubs indoors, but bonsai has really sort of shocked me. It just seems like a whole bunch of new ways to torture a tree. Therefore I will be trying my own method of preserving these worthy shrubs in a pot.

[@Driver170]

Hi tony why is it best to wait until late autumn to do hard pruning? Is this to let it accumulate energy

[@TonyTickle]

cheekypillmonkey the tree will not 'bleed' in the fall of year,

[@Driver170]

Tony Tickle you cool for looking at my Japanese Yew?

[@Driver170]

Hi tony great chanel :) I got myself a Japanese Yew and wondering if its best kept in the shade? Also what fertilisers are you using? I've got myself greendream from Kaizenbonsai

[@TonyTickle]

I use Tibolar-RS feeds they are amazing

[@Driver170]

Tony Tickle must check it out.

[@Driver170]

Tony Tickle also do you apply it weekly or bi weekly? Do you use an inorganic feed also?

[@TonyTickle]

I only use Tibolar... I also sell it, here is some information: https/tibolar.com

[@Driver170]

Tony Tickle i will check it out tony.
I just got a beautiful Japanese yew can i send you a few pictures via email and let me know what you think and what will be the best approach to styling it?

[@knowfear100]

I bet you re using tibola on it !