I also pruned two yews way back this past spring to see if they
would grow back. It took a long time to see any new growth. I was
ready to dig them out but they were in a spot in our backyard that
wasn't readily seen. So I left them. Finally one started growing
and now doesn't look too bad but the other one only half-grew new
shoots so it looks kind of funky. I'll decide what to do with them
next season. I was telling people (at Master Gardener booths when I
volunteer to answer questions) that you can cut back yews and they
will return but now I say 'sometimes they will resprout.' Those
darn plants don't follow the rules! - L.D. -
Remember:
If you cut a shrub back because it's just too big, and it dies,
you haven't lost anything but a plant that couldn't live by your
rules.
- Janet -
When it works, a cutback yew is a great thing!
Here are yews we cut back in a year when the shrubs did behave
as usual.
On April 1 before growth began, we cut this yew to 6" stubs. It
was totally devoid of green. (Sorry; we didn't take photos. Reality
is that we do this work for a living and can't always afford to
take the time to capture everything on film, or wait for a day with
the right lighting...) This photo was taken June 1 of that same
year.
We cut it back because it was just too big for the spot. How big
was it? As large as the uncut yew on the right.
Before we cut it back, it was covering half the sidewalk -- see
the stain where the pavement was covered? (Arrow)
Notice, too, that the still-large shrub is not actually as big
as it was. On April 1 we had cut it, too, but we cut only half its
branches to the ground. We figured we'd see what difference it
might make to do as English gardeners advised us, "Cut back half at
a time."
As you can see here, it made little difference. Both plants did
sprout new within 8 weeks. If there's a difference, it's that the
plant cut totally bare came back better.
We ended the experiment by cutting the rest of the still-big yew
back on June 1. That late-cut portion, too, grew back that same
year. Now, ten years later, both plants continue healthy. We prune
both annually to keep them from encroaching on the sidewalk, and so
have not had to deal with such overgrowth again.
