Yew trees are very popular as topiaries for the garden or in containers. They tolerate pruning so well that they forgive any pruning. You can cut the tree into a ball, animal or many other shapes - there are hardly any limits to your creativity. This is what you need to keep in mind when cutting yew trees into balls.
How do you cut a yew tree into a ball?
To cut a yew tree into a ball, you can make a template out of plywood or use wire mesh. Prune the yew tree at least twice a year, once in spring and once in late summer, always wearing gloves to avoid skin irritation.
Cut yew into balls or other shapes
Basically, you will get the best results if you cut a young yew tree into shape. With older specimens, the shaping takes much longer.
Which shape you choose is up to your personal taste. Spherical shapes are very popular, especially if you grow the yew in a bucket.
Make a template
Whether you want to cut the yew tree into a ball or give it a different shape - you will only rarely be able to do this freehand.
Therefore, make a template out of plywood (€18.00 on Amazon) that you can use as a guide when cutting. If you lack the skill, you can get suitable stencils from specialized garden stores.
A wire mesh that you place 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 nothing can be seen from the cut. It is therefore better to cut the spherical shape more often, at least twice a year.
The basic cut is made directly before budding in spring. In doing so, you remove more shoots. The second cut takes place in late summer, primarily to maintain the shape.
Every now and then use the scissors to remove individual, protruding branches.
Protect your hands
Yews contain the toxin taxin, which can cause inflammation when it comes into contact with the skin. Therefore, always wear gloves when cutting your yew into a ball or carrying out other care measures.
Tip
Yew trees do not need to be cut for care. Pruning is only necessary if the yew trees in the hedge are bare or the tree has simply become too big.
