When it comes to pruning yews, timing is crucial for their healthy growth and overall appearance. As a gardening and landscaping expert, I recommend pruning yews in late March or early April, just before new growth begins. This timing ensures that you won’t interfere with the yews’ natural growth cycle and allows them to recover quickly.
Pruning yews during this period is beneficial because it gives you the opportunity to shape and maintain the desired form of the plants before they start actively growing. By removing any dead, damaged, or overgrown branches at this time, you can encourage new growth to fill in the spaces and promote a more compact and attractive yew.
It’s important to note that yews are known for their vigorous growth, so if you have particularly fast-growing yews, you may need to prune them again in late June. This additional pruning session helps to keep the yews under control and ensures they maintain their desired shape throughout the growing season.
While it’s tempting to prune yews in the fall, it’s best to avoid doing so. Pruning yews in the fall can make them more vulnerable to winter weather and potential damage. The new growth that emerges after pruning needs time to harden off before the colder months, and pruning too late in the year can disrupt this process.
In my own experience, I have found that following these pruning guidelines for yews has resulted in healthier and more aesthetically pleasing plants. By timing the pruning sessions appropriately, I have been able to maintain the desired shape of the yews while also allowing them to grow and thrive naturally.
To summarize, prune yews in late March or early April, just before new growth starts. If necessary, prune again in late June for fast-growing yews. Avoid pruning in the fall to prevent winter vulnerability. By following these timing recommendations, you can ensure the health and beauty of your yews throughout the year.
