Hi This is my first post here.

We have a large garden which has been neglected over the last few years
and which I now am trying to knock into some shape I have many
questions as I am not garden orientated so I may well be asking here
from time to for advice.

My first question concerns a very old Yew Tree. I have been told it is
a few hundred years old but unfortunately it is growing in the wrong
place (around 6-8 feet from the house) As the house is also very old
and there is no signs of root damage we are leaving it be for the
moment but I was wondering if this is the best thing to do as I am
reluctant to chop it down. Maybe just keep it well pruned

But pruning is also a problem It is just above roof level at the moment
and I would like to reduce it as much as possible Should I do this in
one go or take a few years over it. Once you take out the perimeter
growth there is mainly just branches inside and I was wondering how
stressed the tree would get if I removed most of the foliage and how
well this would regrow

Finally this year it has produced thousands of berries which are
depositing themselves right where we walk to the house entrance These
things a real pain as those with a similar problem will know They just
dissolve into a sticky gooey mesh when you touch them How do others
deal with them

Many Thank

Mike




--

"Mike Saunders" wrote in message
...
Hi This is my first post here.

We have a large garden which has been neglected over the last few years
and which I now am trying to knock into some shape I have many
questions as I am not garden orientated so I may well be asking here
from time to for advice.

My first question concerns a very old Yew Tree. I have been told it is
a few hundred years old but unfortunately it is growing in the wrong
place (around 6-8 feet from the house) As the house is also very old
and there is no signs of root damage we are leaving it be for the
moment but I was wondering if this is the best thing to do as I am
reluctant to chop it down. Maybe just keep it well pruned

But pruning is also a problem It is just above roof level at the moment
and I would like to reduce it as much as possible Should I do this in
one go or take a few years over it. Once you take out the perimeter
growth there is mainly just branches inside and I was wondering how
stressed the tree would get if I removed most of the foliage and how
well this would regrow

Finally this year it has produced thousands of berries which are
depositing themselves right where we walk to the house entrance These
things a real pain as those with a similar problem will know They just
dissolve into a sticky gooey mesh when you touch them How do others
deal with them

Many Thank

Mike


You can take it back to hard bare wood with a chain saw, Make sure you go
back a bit further than your eventual outline, don't just reduce the height
but sides as well, if its an Irish yew the multistems seem to splay outwards
with age. It will look a bit sad for a season, but the new growth quickly
fills in the bare patches and within 3 years you will be trimming this to
maintain its shape.
As to the berries my two are also female yews and produce fruits, the birds
love them! especially the thrushes
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

We have a large garden which has been neglected over the last few years
and which I now am trying to knock into some shape I have many
questions as I am not garden orientated so I may well be asking here
from time to for advice.

My first question concerns a very old Yew Tree. I have been told it is

Having recently joined the group, I am amazed at this question, it could
have been me asking it. I have recently taken on a garden containing yew
trees, I want to prune them, I have trouble with the fallen fruit, and my
name is also Mike.

Must get the chainsaw out next weekend.

Mike

"Muddymike" wrote in a message:

Having recently joined the group, I am amazed at this question, it could
have been me asking it. I have recently taken on a garden containing yew
trees, I want to prune them, I have trouble with the fallen fruit, and my
name is also Mike.

Must get the chainsaw out next weekend.
---
I wonder how many Mikes have or have had yew trees growing in their
gardens? My parents had a lovely, very old yew tree growing in their front
garden. During WW2, all but one section of the impressive iron railings
guarding the garden were cut down and removed for bomb making!
The only bit left was the small section in front of the tree. That was in
order to stop the local farmer's cows from eating the leaves and berries,
not to stop my brother and I as toddlers, from running into the road. Later
I remember my father cut the middle out leaving only the side branches.
The poor tree was never quite the same afterwards, and still isn't.

MikeCT