Hello I have two 2 year-old Yew (Taxus baccata) trees in pots that I intend to bonsai. Would someone mind pointing me in the right direction to get some overall information (soil type, when to prune, how much sun/shade) about caring for these little trees? Thanks so much
There is so much to learn about growing and caring for Bonsai . Taxus baccata looks like a good one to start with. http://images.google.com/images?q=b...1I7SUNA_en-GB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi You could do a lot worse than join one of the many clubs in the U.K. Who will help give you hands on advice on caring for bonsai, root pruning, shaping etc http://www.bonsaidiarydil.co.uk/societies.htm There are also many good sites on the internet. Start with this one. http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm Remember all Bonsai are kept artificially small, left on their own they will grow into normal huge trees. They are not a house plant and should be kept outdoors. Good luck!
I actually am in the process of creating a bonsai out of a nursery stock yew (baccata) as well. I have clipped it back quite a bit to shape it and encourage some tighter growth but I have yet to root prune and put it in a smaller pot. From what I have gathered, this plant follows the rules of most evergreen plants and should be root pruned ideally just as it is coming out of dormancy, during the budding stage and before the emerging growth pushes too far. This allows quick healing and by this stage, most of the resources and nutrients have been pushed back out of the roots into the top of the plant. However, if you are doing a massive root prune, you don't want to get into the true growing season as the risk to the plant becomes greater. Please do double check my advice as I do not claim true expertise on the subject or the specimen.
