How do you care for a potted yew (Taxus) at home? A full breakdown of care tips
The yew (Taxus) is a tree of the genus Taxus in the family Taxaceae, a national first-class rare and protected tree species in China. It is a shallow-rooted plant with an inconspicuous taproot and well-developed lateral roots, and is recognized worldwide as an endangered natural rare anti-cancer plant. So how do you care for a potted yew at home? What precautions are there?
1. How to care for a potted yew
1. Provide appropriate shade
The yew is a shade-loving, drought-tolerant plant, so it should be kept indoors. In summer it needs appropriate shading, and it should not be placed in a room with western sun exposure, nor near air-conditioner vents or radiators, as this will increase water evaporation from the yew's leaves, causing the branches and leaves to dehydrate and eventually the leaves to curl and dry up. In summer, keep the light exposure time as short as possible; in autumn and spring it can be longer.
2. Use loose, slightly acidic soil
For the yew, choose a suitably slightly larger flower pot and punch several more holes in the lower part of the pot to enhance drainage and air permeability. The soil should be loose, rich in humus, fertile, and able to retain water and nutrients while allowing air through. The soil should be slightly acidic, with loam being best. Clay soil is not breathable, and sandy soil has poor nutrient and water retention, so neither is suitable. In addition, a mixed growing medium can be made from peat soil, perlite, etc., combined with loam.
3. Water and fertilize reasonably
When a little yellow-white appears on the surface of the yew's potting soil and the leaves curl slightly, there is no need to water; just spray the leaves. When the soil turns white, it should be watered, and watering should be thorough in one go so the potting soil fully absorbs enough water. When placed outdoors, water once every 15 to 20 days; indoors, water once every 20 to 25 days. Keep the soil moisture content at about 40%. Note that watering too much or too frequently will cause root rot in the yew. For each potted yew, apply 0.2 jin of organic fertilizer and 0.02 jin of compound fertilizer; farmyard manure and cake fertilizer can also be added. Fertilizer should be applied along the pot wall as much as possible, and must not come close to the yew's roots. Generally, newly bought yew bonsai contain nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed within 3 months; after that, fertilize once every 2 to 3 months.
4. Transplanting and repotting
After about a year, the potted yew sapling gradually grows larger and its root system becomes well developed. At this point, transplanting and repotting are needed. Break the old pot apart while taking care not to damage the original root ball, move it into a new pot, and water it to settle the roots, ensuring the roots and soil are tightly combined and survival is assured. If conditions permit, the yew sapling can be transplanted into open fields, where it will grow faster. If the lower branches and trunk of the yew bonsai grow too densely, dry, yellow leaves may appear and drop. Some of the overly dense lower branches can be pruned away. During pruning, it can be shaped freely into an umbrella shape, pagoda shape, round shape, etc. To keep the yew's crown beautiful, the terminal buds and some lateral buds can be moderately removed.
5. Pest and disease control
Under normal conditions, the yew has very few insect pests. If the yew is found to be turning yellow or has pests or diseases, it can be watered or sprayed with thiophanate-methyl and monopotassium phosphate. During the rainy season, the yew may suffer from root rot, stem rot and root decay, especially young trees; at this time, dexon can be sprayed for care. In hot and dry seasons, leaf blight and red blight are prone to occur, and Bordeaux mixture can be sprayed for control.
2. Precautions
Do not place the yew bonsai at an air-conditioner vent or too close to a radiator. Every half month, move the yew bonsai outdoors or to a balcony for two days of care; cloudy or rainy days are best, as they are more favorable for its natural growth. When the yew bonsai sprouts new buds in spring, some metabolism (leaf replacement and leaf drop) will occur. In northern winters with underfloor heating, the yew bonsai should be placed on a suitable pot stand. Never pour tea water into the yew pot or throw garbage into it.
The above is Tuliu.com's introduction to the planting methods and precautions for potted yew, for everyone's reference only.