When should you prune yews?

The best time to prune yews is late in the winter during its dormant period. The end of summer, when the growing period is coming to an end, can also be a good time to do some light pruning.

Pruning at the wrong time can lead to unwanted growth, so gardeners should avoid pruning yews in the autumn when new growths don't have sufficient time to harden off before the winter and its cold temperatures settle in. Yews do not need a lot of pruning, so homeowners should never remove more than one-third of the plant's total foliage at any given time.