How to grow a potted yew (Taxus) so it stays evergreen all year round
Plants all need love and care, so how should the evergreen, beautifully shaped yew be looked after?
1. The yew is an excellent potted foliage plant; it likes shade and humidity, avoids direct sunlight, and tolerates drought. Therefore it should not be given full light, and in summer it needs appropriate shading, especially under full and strong light from July to August each year, when the chlorophyll in the leaves is destroyed and the young trees die. The best light for the yew is from 7 to 11 a.m. each day, about 4 hours of light; in summer the light period should be shorter, while in autumn and spring it can be longer. But no light at all also affects the yew's photosynthesis and growth. Remember it must not be placed in a room with western sun exposure, and not by an air-conditioning outlet or beside a radiator, otherwise the moisture in the yew's leaves will evaporate and the plant will easily become dehydrated and dry up.
2. The yew likes acidic soil. It is best to use loose, fertile, water-retaining and breathable soil. In addition, when fertilizing, take care to apply the fertilizer along the edge of the pot as far as possible, and not close to the yew's roots. Generally, a newly bought yew bonsai comes with nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed for three months; after three months, fertilize once every two to three months.
3. As for water requirements, when growing the yew you should observe the surface of the potting soil: if it is slightly yellowish-white and the leaves are slightly curled, there is no need to water the soil, just mist the leaf surfaces. When the soil in the pot turns white, you should water the potting soil, and remember to water thoroughly in one go so that the potting soil absorbs enough water.
How should an evergreen yew bonsai be cared for?
China Landscape Network, August 19 news: Plants all need love and care, so how should the evergreen, beautifully shaped yew be looked after?
1. The yew is an excellent potted foliage plant; it likes shade and humidity, avoids direct sunlight, and tolerates drought. Therefore it should not be given full light, and in summer it needs appropriate shading, especially under full and strong light from July to August each year, when the chlorophyll in the leaves is destroyed and the young trees die. The best light for the yew is from 7 to 11 a.m. each day, about 4 hours of light; in summer the light period should be shorter, while in autumn and spring it can be longer. But no light at all also affects the yew's photosynthesis and growth. Remember it must not be placed in a room with western sun exposure, and not by an air-conditioning outlet or beside a radiator, otherwise the moisture in the yew's leaves will evaporate and the plant will easily become dehydrated and dry up.
2. The yew likes acidic soil. It is best to use loose, fertile, water-retaining and breathable soil. In addition, when fertilizing, take care to apply the fertilizer along the edge of the pot as far as possible, and not close to the yew's roots. Generally, a newly bought yew bonsai comes with nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed for three months; after three months, fertilize once every two to three months.
3. As for water requirements, when growing the yew you should observe the surface of the potting soil: if it is slightly yellowish-white and the leaves are slightly curled, there is no need to water the soil, just mist the leaf surfaces. When the soil in the pot turns white, you should water the potting soil, and remember to water thoroughly in one go so that the potting soil absorbs enough water.
How to grow a yew bonsai Points to note when growing a yew bonsai
The yew is evergreen all year round, precious and elegant, and is especially shade-tolerant, making it very suitable for long-term display indoors. Placing a few pots of yew in a room can both reflect the owner's refinement and aesthetic sense and add elegance to the room. So what is the method for growing a yew bonsai, and what should be noted during growing it? Below, the editor introduces the method for growing a yew bonsai!
Introduction to the yew
The yew is an evergreen tree with an upright trunk. Because of its graceful shape and deep green leaves, it is also very effective when used to make bonsai. In its place of origin it can grow to 20 m tall, but potted specimens are generally kept at 1 to 3 m, or even shorter, and the bark of the roots, branches and trunk is reddish-brown. The yew likes a cool climate and can withstand low temperatures below minus 30 degrees Celsius, having extremely strong cold resistance; the most suitable temperature for yew growth is 20-25 degrees Celsius, and the most suitable soil is a sandy soil with good drainage.
How to grow a yew bonsai
1. Repotting: after a yew bonsai has been grown for two years, the sapling gradually grows larger and its root system becomes more developed, so the original pot no longer meets the yew's needs for growth and it must be repotted into a larger pot. When transplanting, it is best to break the old pot apart, without damaging the original soil ball, and slowly move it into the new pot, then water to settle the roots. For a yew bonsai, choose a slightly larger pot and make several more holes in the lower part of the pot to improve drainage and air permeability.
2. Soil: the soil for growing the yew should be loose, rich in humus, fertile and slightly acidic (pH between 5 and 6.5). Loam is best, and a mixed growing medium of peat soil, perlite, etc. with loam can also be used. If the potting soil is slightly compacted, loosen the surface soil of the yew bonsai in good time.
3. Light: the yew likes shade and tolerates drought, and should be placed indoors; in summer it needs appropriate shading, and it must not be placed in a room with western sun exposure or by an air-conditioning outlet or radiator, as that will evaporate the moisture in the yew's leaves, causing the branches and leaves to dehydrate and finally the leaves to curl and dry up.
4. Watering: the yew should be watered in moderation, and the frequency of watering depends on how dry or wet the soil is. If the surface of the yew's potting soil is slightly yellowish-white and the leaves are slightly curled, there is no need to water, just mist the yew's leaf surfaces. When the soil turns white, the yew bonsai should be watered. Note that when watering, water thoroughly in one go so that the yew bonsai absorbs enough water. Water thoroughly so that the potting soil absorbs enough water. Watering too much or too often will cause the yew to rot at the roots, and long-term drought and lack of water is also bad for yew growth.
5. Fertilizing: a newly purchased yew bonsai already contains prepared nutrient soil, so no fertilizing is needed for 3 months; afterwards, fertilize once every 2 to 3 months. The yew should not be given chemical fertilizers; cake fertilizer is best, and when fertilizing, work along the edge of the pot and avoid touching the bonsai's roots.
6. Pruning: in a newly purchased yew bonsai, because part of the root system is damaged when it is transplanted from the growing base into the pot, the nutrient supply between the roots and the branches and leaves becomes unbalanced; if the leaves still curl and dry up while the potting soil is kept moist, it is best to prune the bonsai's branches and leaves appropriately to reduce excessive consumption of nutrients by the branches and leaves and restore root growth. Pruning can create any shape, trimming it into an umbrella shape, pagoda shape, round shape and many other forms.
7. Pests and diseases: in hot and dry seasons, individual young yew trees may develop leaf blight and red blight, which can be controlled by spraying 1% Bordeaux mixture.
Points to note when growing a yew bonsai
1. For a newly purchased yew bonsai, it is best to spray the leaf surfaces with a 800- to 1000-fold potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution about every three or four days, generally before 10 a.m., or around 4 p.m.; after spraying three to four times in succession, gradually reduce to about once a month.
2. The climate in the north is dry with little rain, so water as soon as the soil surface is dry, and be sure to water thoroughly in one go, especially in summer. The air in the north is dry, and the leaf surfaces easily lose water and droop; when the leaves do not look plump, use a small spray bottle to spray the leaf surfaces from bottom to top (in summer this can be done every day).
3. In summer it needs appropriate shading; in winter, at minus 20 degrees Celsius, the yew does not need heat protection, but during the dormant period (from early December of the current year to the end of February of the following year) it should not be watered.
4. A yew bonsai should not be watered with tea water; especially in Beijing, where the water is relatively hard and high in alkali, the water must be left to stand for a day before being used for watering and spraying.
5. In central China, the yew's growing period is from early April to the end of October each year; during this period, water plants placed outdoors once every 15 to 20 days, and those kept indoors once every 20 to 25 days.
6. Watering the yew too much or too often will cause root rot and lead to death. Especially when there is heavy rain in summer, plants placed outdoors should have the excess rainwater drained away in good time to prevent the yew from being soaked in water for a long time.