1st Yew ! Taxus cuspidata Japanese Yew Emerald Spreader

[Japonicus]

Got my first Yew today

It is labeled Taxus Emerald Spreader. On Monrovias website > Emerald Spreader Plant Japanese Yew.Taxus cuspidata 'Monloo'
https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2147/emerald-spreader-japanese-yew/
1.73 gal size #2 $30. No more poorly documented trees for me from this point fwd.
Past history will always haunt me though.

Tag calls it a dense spreader, and has a nice trunk under its skirt.

 

[Japonicus]

http://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Taxus.html
I’m trying to find out when to Jin this lil gem and ran across typical maintenance
at the link above. Bonsai4me claims this species does best in shade, and happy in heavy shade,
tag says full Sun or part Sun 6+ hrs to 3-6 hrs.
Sounds more like a maples needs for Sun requirements.

I need some help with the part where they say to pinch out 2-3 yr old needles
to encourage back budding. Will post pictures tomorrow perhaps that will help direct me,
but does that mean like single leaf/needle growth as it has, simply plucking further back on the branch
leaving new growth outwards ? Kinda lost there. Sounds like pine needle plucking, sort of...
See pruning at link above.

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice small foliage on that one!

 

[Japonicus]

Nice small foliage on that one!

Thanks Mike! It is a compact. Needles are about the same as the Hemlocks that grow natural here.
Sorry haven't got any pics up, (had to put a pet down this weekend) what I'm needing a lil help with understanding
pinching out 2-3 yr old needles per the article. Never having any hands on experience with these guys
It just seems that growth, would be hardened off and the article just doesn't convey that experience.
Pulling needles, doesn't sound like a back bud producing practice to me either. There is however, a bud at about every internode.
Will post some new pics tomorrow.

Snow today, record low tonight (low 20's), and 81º Friday forecast. Yup, it's Spring

 

[Japonicus]

Ok got a chance to take some pics off the card and down size them.

I've opened up the trunk a little, to let some light in and get a feel of direction.
Still deciding on the front, and have barely looked at the apex for direction.
When those 2 things click, I can open up some more and repot next Spring.

Just 1 yr growth may be too woody to pinch, but may be 2 yr growth showing not sure.
Some upward growing new growth is very dense, making me think sheering has been employed.
It tends to spread out at those locations, think cactus hens and chicks, thus the spreader part of the name
Emerald Spreader. See 1st pic this post at the front of the pots edge. Very dense.
The buds that are back from the new growth are pretty much a needles length apart
So, pinching 2 year growth should not even be considered since it's so woody, rather simply cutting
back to a bud or junction for direction or ramification.

There's a bud junction just to the right of my thumb. Maybe a cluster. I plan to cut back to here just above there
or similar on other branches I plan to keep or just thin down to get a better eyeball on it as I go
then remove more, further in to another junction, or bud direction, or all of the branch when I decide what to do with each one.
This appears to be a very easy tree prune.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

I would repot in a draining mix and wait after the spring flush and select some branches after that. Style and cutback in fall...

 

[Japonicus]

I would repot in a draining mix and wait after the spring flush and select some branches after that. Style and cutback in fall...

Yes, sounds good thank you dark hoorelbeke!
These areas left now, Was planned to grow out with the Spring flush directed here to these zones.

If i were to pot up now, I would probably wait to Fall to do anything else.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Depends on the reaction but waiting is never bad.

 

[Japonicus]

Today I lifted the yew from its nursery pot heavily organic, but not compacted at all.
In fact the roots are fairly free and will help with potting

The nursery soil has worms in it. Are these anything I should be concerned with my other bonsai?
Should it be QT'd from other trees? or is this a noninvasive aerating benefactor?
I have to shoot BLINDLY with my DSLR for many videos outdoors. I cannot see the live shot. Sorry for focus error.

 

[sorce]

worms

Could be a nematode.

I don't usually worry much about soil pests, but I have never had a problem besides gnats.

Yew probly safe!

Sorce

 

[Japonicus]

Could be a nematode.

I don't usually worry much about soil pests, but I have never had a problem besides gnats.

Yew probly safe!

Sorce

Yew betchya...I hope you're right.
I hate using my DSLR for outdoors video. I have to shoot with the live monitor on and the glare is ridiculous!!!
I have to use the viewfinder and focus, then switch over to the monitor and hit the record button.
It's all a shoot and hope scenario as I can't tell if I;'ve staggered backwards or about to fall face 1st into my work LOL.

 

[Japonicus]

Found this on youtube. I know Bayer is selling a product, but could their line here be all correct?
These do look like what I found today...

 

[sorce]

Found this on youtube. I know Bayer is selling a product, but could their line here be all correct?
These do look like what I found today...

@wireme would be my goto for nematode Id...some are beneficial.

Sorce

 

[Japonicus]

@wireme would be my goto for nematode Id...some are beneficial.

Sorce

Thanks Sorce!
I figured some types would be beneficial and some not.
They're like water, bacteria or carbon. The world probably would not exist without them the same as we know it.
I've just never encountered them in my soil, that I could see, and this is a newly acquired nursery stock plant.
Scared me to the point of being too spooked to pot it up today as I had planned without seeking further advice on it.
I did get my Brocade BP and Ole No2 juniper repotted though.

 

[wireme]

@wireme would be my goto for nematode Id...some are beneficial.

Sorce

Yeah, nope not a clue how to identify them unfortunately. I tend to not worry about things like that unless I see damage or symptoms of some kind. That’s just me.
I do know some are good predatory control of other pests and some can be very bad I’m told. With Malus related species they cause root knots and I’ve controlled them with oyster mushroom mycelium. I’ve purchased and bred nematodes for root aphid control and it seemed to work pretty well. In both of those cases the nematodes were pretty microscopic, woul never see them without good magnification.

 

[Japonicus]

Yeah, nope not a clue how to identify them unfortunately. I tend to not worry about things like that unless I see damage or symptoms of some kind. That’s just me.
I do know some are good predatory control of other pests and some can be very bad I’m told. With Malus related species they cause root knots and I’ve controlled them with oyster mushroom mycelium. I’ve purchased and bred nematodes for root aphid control and it seemed to work pretty well. In both of those cases the nematodes were pretty microscopic, woul never see them without good magnification.

Well I certainly appreciate you having a look and sharing your experience with them like aphid control.
That's honorable, I would use chemicals

Yeh, the Bayer web site says they're microscopic, so either I have some big ones or not nematodes at all,
though they look the same as the smaller "cousins" do.
I'm tempted to nearly bare root this and go ahead with it.

 

[just.wing.it]

I'm tempted to nearly bare root this and go ahead with it.

Yep, that would be my move!

 

[Japonicus]

Yep, that would be my move!

Hiya Mike! Hey I had to delay and the foliage has fluffed out a good bit.
We had a day and a half of soaking rain, so cannot do so just yet. Still safe to proceed or wait?

 

[just.wing.it]

If it's growing, and looks healthy, I'd probably leave it, till next year...but I'm all about getting rid of nasty soil, fast!

 

[Japonicus]

If it's growing, and looks healthy, I'd probably leave it, till next year...but I'm all about getting rid of nasty soil, fast!

Did just that yesterday. Jetted down to bare root
Its rare that I do so, has been a long long time.
Roots reminiscent of juniper.


Not he pot I wanted to use, kind of expensive but it fit. Prefer mica at this stage.

If it survives...watching for new growth, it then will be yewbiquitous. Nothing yet