Yew cutting

[stuckinthemud]

I am probably getting permission to cut a limb  or two and possibly a stem from a yew tree.  How close to the stem should I cut off the branches?  Flush to the stem?  Will cutting a stem damage the tree?  I know nipping out the growing stem in some trees will damage growth but is it the same for yew?

[Cordata]

Don't cut completely flush when pruning branches, go to the branch collar. If you attach a photo people here will show exactly where to cut to do it correctly

[stuckinthemud]

Sorry but I am not able to supply a photo as next time I visit will be to cut.

[Dan Maynard]

https://www.trees.org.uk/Help-Advice/Help-for-Tree-Owners/Guide-to-Tree-Pruning

[Dan Maynard]

Also, don't let the branch tear below as you cut - either hold it up or cut from below first.

[peds]

Are you using loppers or a saw? Make sure it's nice and sharp!

 

For taking a branch off, identify where the finished cut will be as others have outlined above, at the branch collar, but make your removal cuts a little bit higher up the branch... just a few inches, not much. Make a slit from below, about 20-30% through the branch, taking care not to pinch the saw in the gap with the weight of the branch. Then start cutting again from above, about half an inch away from your first cut, either closer to the tree or further away, it doesn't really matter for you at this stage (they do actually behave slightly differently, but we'll save that for the next episode). The branch will snap off cleanly when you have cut 70-80% of the way through. 

You now have a tiny little stub with no weight on it next to the branch collar, which you can easily snip off with minimal damage to the rest of the tree. 

 

As for taking a stem... how many stems does this yew have, and how big? If they aren't huge, you can cut it in a similar way to the branch you've just removed, but cut about 60% of the way through from each side, and leave a bigger height gap between the two cuts... maybe a couple of inches. You can then grasp the stem and snap it off easily. But, again... how big is the stem you want to take?

Finally, make your finishing cut a little bit below where you took the stem off, angled about 15° off horizontal, and facing the outside of the tree, to help shed rainwater and prevent any opportunities for rot.

 

But yeah... pictures would help.

[stuckinthemud]

I have a good quality and very sharp pruning saw, not quite a Silky but very nearly.  I’ll be looking at 4 or 5” diameter cuts

[peds]

You'll be grand, likely be a heavy enough bit of wood, just be careful. 

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks all, that’s been really helpful.