Yews are very popular as topiaries for the garden or in tubs. They tolerate pruning so well that they forgive any pruning. You can cut the tree as a ball, animal or many other shapes - there are hardly any limits to your creativity. You have to take this into account when cutting yew trees as a ball.
Yews can easily be cut into spherical shapes
Cut yew into balls or other shapes
Generally speaking, you will get the best results by trimming a young yew tree into shape. Older specimens take much longer to shape.
Which shape you choose is up to your personal taste. Spherical shapes are very popular, especially when you grow the yew tree in a bucket.
make template
Whether you want to cut the yew into a ball or shape it into another shape - this will only succeed in the rarest of cases.
Therefore, make a plywood template that you can use as a guide when cutting. If you don't have the skills, you can get suitable templates from specialist garden stores.
A wire mesh that you wrap around the crown and cut along it also helps with the spherical shape. But remove the wire again so that it doesn't grow in.
Better to cut more often
Since the yew is a very slow-growing tree, it takes a very long time for it to grow back so that the cut is no longer visible. It is therefore better to cut the spherical shape more often, at least twice a year.
The basic cut is made directly before sprouting in spring. Here you take away more shoots. In late summer, the second cut takes place, which is primarily carried out to maintain the shape.
From time to time you reach for the scissors to remove individual, protruding twigs.
protect hands
Yew contains the toxin taxine, which can cause inflammation if it comes in contact with the skin. Therefore, always wear gloves when you cut your yew into a ball or carry out other care measures.
tips
Yew trees do not have to be pruned for care. A pruning is only necessary if yews in the hedge are bare or the tree has simply become too large.