Yew tree losing all needles except outer new ones.

Question

All my Yew evergreens grow new growth then the needles from last year yellow and fall off leaving the center visibly hollow. They are on the North side and we do not water them in the winter and not much in the summer. They get bright light but little sun. This happens year after year. They were planted by a very good nursery. Can you help?

Answer 1

The lack of light will cause this to appear worse than it would normally. This will be a response to a lack of light, so that it can reserve enough energy to have sufficient growth on the outsides to catch what light it can.

The only remedy to this will be to create access to more light. Otherwise, this will be the way it reacts to its environment.