Can I move a yew tree?

[FamilyOfAliens]

I have a yew tree which just appeared under my magnolia tree as a little plant about six years ago. I never planted it, I have no idea where it came from and it has grown to about 1.5 metres high. It seems very healthy and there’s new growth on it every year. I will have to move it at some point.

I also have a gap in the border on the other side of my garden where my neighbour’s fence has collapsed and I need something to hide it. I’m hoping to sell my house some time next year.

The yew would be perfect in the gap. Should I move it? I’ve googled and it says the best time to move it is October / November. Has anyone ever successfully moved a smallish tree like this?

People do move trees. Basic principle is to water it very well, then move it with a much bigger rootball than you think is necessary.

I'd forgotten about it, but we moved a 8ft lilac. We got a huge tarpaulin, dug out under the roots and tipped the tree one way and then the other to get the tarp under the root ball. Can't remember the rest of it, but it was hard work. And the lilac is still going strong about 15 years later.

It can be moved around autumn yes, but yews do tend to sulk a bit afterwards though. The only problem is that it is rather close to your magnolia and the roots could all be tangled up together with that. It might be worth hunting around a little bit now to check.

Thank you both - great advice!

I have six weeks off for summer so plenty of time to gently explore what’s going on with the roots.

I rather love the fact that the tree has just grown all by itself but I do wish it had grown somewhere else other than under the magnolia!

It will have been from a berry pooed out dropped by a bird sitting in the magnolia and yews quite like growing in shade.

What you could do to prepare it is every month or so, push a spade vertically down into the soil some distance from it (about the size of the rootball you think you can mamage to ultimately dig up) and cut a few of the roots on one side. It will then start to grow new roots closer in. Work your way round it bit by bit every few weeks so it doesn't get too much of a shock, and make sure it is well-watered in a dry spell. It could probably do with a good feed as well, to build it up a bit.

Once you've moved it, it might need staking for a while to stop it rocking in winter winds.

Just asked my resident tree consultant before he falls asleep.

He is pretty dubious about moving it. Reckons its roots likely well tangled up with the magnolia, says it's going to need a lot of digging out, high chance of killing the yew and fairly high chance of hurting the magnolia (he also complimented your magnolia, or what he could see of it).

do wish it had grown somewhere else other than under the magnolia!

This wasn't an accident- yew likes being an understory species. It is happy where it is. May well be unhappy in new location, even if survives.

I said, well what will happen if she just leaves things as they are? and he said it'll just grow up into the magnolia and look a bit of a mess. He would cut the yew off and just leave the stump so that the magnolia can continue to flourish (and he loves yew trees and likes to preserve them if he can).

Still, it's a shot to nothing as far as the yew is concerned so if you don't mind the work, and the risk to the magnolia, then you could give it a go. Winter best time as you already gathered.

Mumsnetters are amazing - thank you!

This is all great advice. At least I have a few months to decide what to do.

The reason I wanted to move it rather than simply chop it down was to avoid having to buy another small tree or shrub for the gap in the border. But I don’t want to risk the magnolia getting damaged or compromised as it’s beautiful and a real haven for small birds.