How to Prune and Renovate Yew Bushes
We've got huge old yew bushes in our front yard that were making our house look like it had an overgrown beard. Last summer we tried to prune these, but ended up contorting ourselves into knots trying to reach some spots. Also, the bushes were pretty bare underneath and getting sparse on the tops too. So we we came to the conclusion that it was time to say farewell to the yew beard, and did some drastic landscaping work on them recently.
Instead of having them professionally removed (roots and all), which would cost between $500 and $700, we did some extensive research on yews and found that they are good candidates for renovation pruning, which means that they can be rejuvenated by cutting them down nearly to the ground, and then they’ll grow back over several years. Not only did this sound doable, but it would give us a chance to see if the yews might look better with all-new (and smaller!) growth.
Read about our process below, and see many more details and photos on our blog RatherSquare.com!
Instead of having them professionally removed (roots and all), which would cost between $500 and $700, we did some extensive research on yews and found that they are good candidates for renovation pruning, which means that they can be rejuvenated by cutting them down nearly to the ground, and then they’ll grow back over several years. Not only did this sound doable, but it would give us a chance to see if the yews might look better with all-new (and smaller!) growth.
Read about our process below, and see many more details and photos on our blog RatherSquare.com!
First, we assembled all necessary tools (a chainsaw, a reciprocating saw and heavy-duty loppers), and made sure they were clean and sharp.
This landscaping project took us two days. Not only did we cut down eight huge yews, but then we had to clear out all the trunks and branches and other debris from our front yard afterward.
It was easier to get the smaller branches first with a reciprocating saw and loppers, and then use the chainsaw on the thicker trunks at the bottom.
We counted the rings of the stumps, and it looks like these yews were actually about 60 years old.
Here’s our front yard after all the debris was cleared away. It feels like our house can breathe a little more easily now without its big bushy beard. Many more details and photos at our blog link below!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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4 comments
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Great work!
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Cutting plants back that far is definitely an act of faith. Hope they prove their resilience for you.
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@Douglas Hunt Thanks, so do we!
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