Yew cuttings not growing

8 years ago

These Yew cutting where started almost 2 years ago. They are the still the same size as when started. They are green and have nice roots.

Any suggestions whey they have not developed and what I can do to help them along. I thought that they would be a foot a two high in two years not 4 inches?

I live in PA and let them out over the winter.

Thanks....

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Comments (5)

Embothrium
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The tops must have made at least some growth or the plants would be dead. They're in soil-less potting medium - have you fertilized? Leaving them out all winter may not have helped, particularly if any of the roots died.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
take a couple.. beat them on the sidewalk to remove the media ... perhaps abuse the roots a bit ... scratch them up a bit ..... and repot them in fresh media ... water them in ...

in a few weeks.. start watering with diluted water sol fert .. maybe 10% ... with each watering .... place them in full bright shade ...

plant them in the ground in fall ....

abusing the plant.. is said to stimulate a 'im going to die' mode.. releasing growth hormones ... and it MIGHT start growing.. to save its life ...

its old school ... probably going to be ridiculed.. but whats to lose ... lol ..

i dont know what to do with the rest of them.. other than up pot.. etc... just skip the abuse ...and compare results ...

report back periodically.. especially if it works.. lol

ken
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fussybob
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Yes, I have fertilized with a weak solution.

I don't think that the roots have died as the plants were slightly brown after the winter and have green'd up the last few weeks.

Just no growth height......

What type of soil should these be growing in, in a pot?
User
8 years ago
https://www.gardeningdata.co.uk/soil/john_innes/john_innes.php

I am not familiar with US mixes...but in the UK, we would always use a soil/loam based mixture for any potting which lasted longer than a season...and absolutely always for trees and other woodies. Hope the link is useful at explaining what the different 'recipe's contain.

I grew a lot of yews (I have a little pocket wood) and I will say, the first 3 years they grow at snail's pace...while also consolidating a resilient root system. Box is equally s l o w. I do bare-root and refresh my container saplings after 3 years and topdress with a few inches of new JI and some slow release fert. (although I do aim to get them in the ground but am not always successful).
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
8 years ago
I'd leave them be for this summer and get them in the ground in fall. I had a seedling yew (I know, not a cutting) show up in my yard one year and it took 3-4 years for it to take off. Yours are just building root mass before it grows top growth.

tj