Planting lilac bush near existing dead yew stump?

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
jcoakley Chicago, IL(Zone 5b) Mar 28, 2009

Hi all, this is my first time posting in this forum. Last year my DH cut down an old yew in front of our house. He hacked at the stump but there is still quite a bit in the ground. I want to put a lilac bush in the space (next to the stump), but don't know if the stump and roots of the yew would impede its growth. Any thoughts? TIA!

Post #6332568
Quote
ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Mar 29, 2009

The stump and roots won't impede the growth of a new lilac, but they will impede efforts to dig a hole to plant something new. Yew (Taxus spp.) take quite a while to rot away.

Make sure you have a sharp spade, an axe, or some such in order to cut through the remaining underground wood of roots/stump so that you have an adequate space to plant your new lilac.

Post #6337458
Quote
Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Mar 29, 2009

"Yew (Taxus spp.) take quite a while to rot away"

Not so very long, only a few hundred years!

Resin

Post #6337516
Quote
jcoakley Chicago, IL(Zone 5b) Mar 30, 2009

Oh geez. Well, we'll see what we can get accomplished this spring. There were 5 yew and two of another unknown evergreen (which were dead) growing unchecked (and ungroomed) in a bed of red lava rock when we bought the house. So outdated, and untidy. We've got rid of 3 of the yew and pulled out the dead evergreens, so I guess we can manage around this last stump! Thanks for the advice!

Post #6338425
Quote
ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Mar 30, 2009

You may also want to rake up and discard the red lava rock. This material is known to be quite high pH in reaction.

That won't bother the lilac (too much), but may play havoc with future plantings, especially if you are going try ericaceous species. They (Vaccinium, Pieris, Rhododendron, etc.) will hate it.

Post #6338486
Quote
jcoakley Chicago, IL(Zone 5b) Mar 30, 2009

Oh, don't worry, Viburnum, that lava rock is LOOOOONG gone. I got rid of that stuff (and it was backbreaking) the first summer. It was sunk inches into the soil. There are still pieces here and there, but I've managed to get most of it out, and then every year since I've added layers of organic material to raise the bed back up. Somebody used heavier decorative rock in spots in the back yard (which was more "landscaped" but still overgrown when we moved in) and I've gradually been getting rid of that too. No offense to anyone, but I cannot stand rock used as mulch. Ugh. And all that digging & tilling, aside from giving me room to plant lots of perennials, revived lots of spring bulbs which we didn't know were there until the following year. :)

Post #6339580
Quote
ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Mar 31, 2009

Good job. Post pics of progress for us to peruse...

Post #6342921
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Trees, Shrubs and Conifers Threads

Go to all Trees, Shrubs and Conifers threads
BACK TO TOP