How to Grow Yew? A Full Breakdown of Cultivation Precautions

The yew is a tree species unique to China and is recognized worldwide as a rare, endangered natural anti-cancer plant. It has high requirements for growing conditions, grows slowly, and has poor regenerative capacity, so even today there are no large-scale cultivation bases. So “how do you grow the “plant gold” yew? What precautions are there?”

I. How to Grow Yew

1. Suitable Soil

The yew is a shallow-rooted plant, with no obvious main root and poorly developed lateral roots, so its absorption capacity is relatively weak and its soil requirements are high. If the soil is poor, growth will be affected. Only good soil can promote rapid growth. It is best to choose loose, fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil, with a pH preferably between 5 and 6.

2. Light

The yew is a light-loving plant that prefers an environment with ample light. Shady conditions are unfavorable for its growth. It is recommended to grow it outdoors, or to build a greenhouse and use facilities to provide light. Although the yew loves light, it is averse to strong direct sunlight; exposure to strong sun will cause it to lose water and wilt, and in severe cases the leaves will wither and fall off. When planting, it is enough to provide scattered light, and using facilities such as a greenhouse can meet its light requirements.

3. Fertilizer and Water Management

If you want the yew to grow quickly and well, fertilizer is indispensable. Fertilizing is generally done three months after planting, because by then the fertilizer in the soil can still supply what the plant needs for growth. Fertilizing at this time may cause fertilizer burn, leading to excessive vegetative growth. In the early stage of fertilizing, it is recommended to make the fertilizer into a solution and apply it by watering, which can increase the fertilizer's utilization rate, allow the plant to absorb it quickly, and also control fertilizer strength and moisture. In the later stage of growth, fertilizer can be applied directly, mainly organic fertilizer.

4. Pest and Disease Control

During cultivation, it often suffers from pests and diseases, which greatly affect the plant's growth rate. The more common one is root rot. When it occurs, the plant's exterior may show no signs; by the later stage of the disease, the leaves wither and turn yellow, and only when the roots are dug up do you find that they have already rotted, at which point it is too late. Therefore, pest and disease control should focus on prevention. At every change of season, Bordeaux mixture can be sprayed. If pest or disease damage is found, it should also be dealt with promptly so as not to miss the best time for control.

II. Precautions

1. Do Not Leave It in Strong Light for Too Long

Because the yew is a small tree, attention must be paid to regulating light. It needs light but should not be left in strong light for too long. Generally, in summer and autumn, about two hours of sun before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. each day is enough. At other times, let it receive more scattered sunlight; otherwise, strong light will scorch the leaves, causing the leaf tips to turn scorched yellow. Also maintain indoor ventilation so that the plant does not suffer poor growth such as wilting and drooping due to indoor air that is too dry.

2. Do Not Water Too Frequently or Too Much

If a new bonsai shows tender leaves that are dull yellow and lusterless, and the growing tips wilt, it is generally caused by watering too frequently or too much, which makes the soil compact and impermeable, causing some roots to rot and reducing their ability to absorb water and fertilizer. In mild cases, watering should be reduced, and a hard, blunt object should be used to gently loosen the surface soil of the pot so the soil can breathe. Move it at night to a place where it can receive dew, and move it to a shaded spot at eight or nine in the morning, which helps the root system recover healthy growth. If the leaves turn yellow and curl within a short period, it indicates severe root rot, and the pot should be turned out immediately to check the extent of root rot. If more than half is affected, it generally cannot be saved.

3. Water Thoroughly

If old leaves turn yellow from the bottom upward, but new leaves generally grow normally, it is usually because the water was not applied thoroughly in one go and the amount was too little, causing root dehydration. Sometimes the top leaves dry up and curl and fall off at a touch, while the old leaves still grow normally; this is generally also caused by root dehydration. Water thoroughly in one go. When watering, be sure to first press down and compact any cracks along the rim of the pot with an object to prevent water from quickly leaking through the cracks and creating the false impression that the water has penetrated thoroughly. Over time, this will cause the trunk to die from root dehydration. Move it outdoors at night to receive more rain and dew, and give it two hours of sunlight in the morning and evening to help the yew recover its growth.

4. Do Not Water with Alkaline Water for a Long Time

The yew is suited to slightly acidic soil. If it is watered with relatively alkaline water for a long time, the leaves will turn from green to yellow, and may even fall off. Add acidic nutrients or spray the leaves or water the potting soil with a 2/1000 ferrous sulfate solution, once every ten days for 3 consecutive times, and the leaves that turned yellow due to alkalinity can turn green again.

5. Remove Tender Buds in Time

Every year in March and April, the yew will sprout a large number of tender buds, which consume a great deal of nutrients. At this time, you can remove the tender buds growing toward the inside to prevent the branches from becoming too dense and poorly ventilated, which would cause the leaves to turn yellow or fall off. Thinning crossed branches, inward-facing branches, and leggy branches can improve ventilation and light penetration and save excessive consumption of water and nutrients. When the tender buds have just sprouted, it is best not to spray liquid fertilizer on the leaves, nor to water concentrated fertilizer at the roots.

The above is Tuliu.com's introduction to precautions for growing yew. For normal fertilizer amounts, if urea is used alone for nitrogen topdressing, the concentration is generally 1/1000; if potassium dihydrogen phosphate is used alone for phosphorus topdressing, the concentration used is 1/1000-2/1000, with one topdressing every 7-10 days.