- 1). Plant your yews between March and May, when the soil can be easily worked. Spring is the optimum time to plant hedges, according to Iowa State University's Extension website.
- 2). Choose a location that is exposed to at least a 1/2 day's worth of sunlight, and one that has well-draining soil. Never plant yews where standing water collects, as overly wet soil can lead to root rot, a fungal disease that will destroy the roots of the plants.
- 3). Dig a trench about 1 foot deep and 2 feet wide. Calculate the length of the trench according to how many plants you have. Yews are often used for formal, sheared hedges, and plants in formal hedges are usually spaced about 1 to 2 feet apart.
- 4). Add soil to the trench, if needed, to raise the yew so that the bark of the stem is above the surface of the soil. Place the yews in the trench. Gently spread out the roots, and back fill around the plants with the removed soil. Tamp the soil down gently, and water thoroughly.
- 5). Prune back the plants severely after planting -- to a height of about 8 inches from the ground. This will cause the yew plants to create the low, dense foliage that's so desirable in a hedge.
- 6). Surround the pruned plants with 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch, which will provide nutrients and help stifle weed growth.
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