Yew for Sheila

It looks very promising Sue.

But where to go from here?

There must be a story behind this photo?

Leaving the leader, I would cut off alternate branches from the top down, right back to the trunk. The bonsai Yew pictured in my book has more-or-less the shape of a Christmas tree, but there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way. You can prune/shape your tree to what looks pleasing to you.

Siris the story is that I neglected the little yew for a long time (10years) and the roots were all out of the bottom of the pot or curled round inside. I PM'd Sheila to ask for advice about making it into a respectable bonsai.

Sheila Oh dear i shall find it hard to do that, it seems so unkind....however will give it a go.

Only way to keep it dwarf I'm afraid, Sue!

If this wasnt goy..I would say that's a neighbor visiting my garden at midnight!

Wearing my jacket too...

If you want your yew to be,
like a japan bonsai tree,
you will have to prune it well,
then, it's only time will tell.

. . . and what happened next?!

I did as suggested but it now needs doing again. I am finding it very difficult to be hard hearted enough to confine it into a smaller pot though so haven't done it yet.

Sue, perhaps you’d be happier keeping it in a medium size pot? I have a dwarf copper beech in quite a large pot, and just prune the branches to keep a nice shape. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do!

I'm torn Sheila. It looks somewhat better now than it did in the photo but its still in a pot shaped pot. Last year I trimmed the branches as advised and just cut off the longer roots. I don't think I'd be any good at keeping a true bonsai in a shallow container because I would forget to water it often enough and it would die - and after 12 years that would be a pity! Also I can't get over the feeling that its rather cruel - daft perhaps but there it is! I certainly don't want a full sized yew in the garden!. This was a seedling from where we lived before coming here.(That house did have a mature yew in the garden)

Will you root prune your copper beech eventually?

That's a good question, Sue. I doubt it, as I'd have a real struggle getting it out of the pot! Is your Yew in the empty pot in the picture? If so, it should be fine.

Btw, my small bonsai in shallow pots only get watered when the weather is very hot and dry - just enough to keep them alive. They are outside getting rain quite frequently and only need extra attention in the growing season.

No, not in those pots Sheila - those are for bedders and not often empty like that. Its in a slightly tapering 10" at present.