Why are some of these Yew bushes dying?

Question

I have a row of yew bushes, some of which are not healthy at all! I’m in Pittsburgh, PA and have lived in this house 15 years. These bushes used to be healthy (I have old pictures), but over the past five years, the ones toward the end have produced less foliage and turned brown. It seems progressive -- that is, the bushes in front look great (I can hardly keep up with them). Then they get progressively smaller and more unhealthy as you go along. You see the bad ones have top growth but the sides are scant.

I’ve done some research... I don’t use driveway salt. They get sun almost all day (even the healthy ones), and they sit in a line that runs almost exactly east-west. The soil is mostly clay and there’s no standing water here. There is an unhappy looking evergreen tree nearest the unhealthy plants that I plan to take down soon. It’s about 20 feet high. Also, there is ivy around the bases of some the plants, but nothing excessive. They don’t climb into the bushes. I’ve read that this shouldn’t be a problem.

What could be the culprit, and can these bushes be saved? Thanks.

(First picture bushes face south; second, same bushes facing north.)

Answer 1

Yews are the only conifer I know that loves the shade. They are poisonous so the deer and animal life do not eat these guys. These that are dying are in a bit of shade. So I am seeing a disease of some sort. What is happening to the larger conifer to the south?

Yews are also long lived so 15 years plus should be no problem. The pruning isn't that great but still not the problem.

They do fine in clay soil as long as it is well drained, so again not the problem.

Bummer. I would take those 3 yews out completely. Use a truck and chain. Do not replace with yew. I would do a deciduous shrub in place of the yews you remove. Without a test by a reliable organization all you will be able to tell is whether or not the rest of the yew hedge continues to die off.

If this is a disease; there are a possible couple one is fungal one is viral, you'll notice it in the rest of the hedge. Make sure you do not replace with yew, I wouldn't use any other conifer, I'd go to a deciduous or an evergreen chunk of hedge...laurel or privet? I would also do a staggered chunk of hedge so it looks planned and not trying to compete with the yew.

You should check with your nearest, biggest University Cooperative Extensive Service. They can do tests, they can send a Master Gardener out to actually take samples and advise you much more closely. Those Yews are not going to come back. I wonder how old they are? They just might be dying of old age.