Several of us like the shape of the redbud, just as it is, and I'm one of them, icadem. I wouldn't even be staking, but make the necessary accomodations with the limbs as it encroached on the siding. OP, mature height of yew is rather dependent on what one you planted. Most get whomping big if left to grow to their natural form and that's what I am dealing with now on the property I mentioned. They're practically to the windows already and how long have they been there? Yes, you can prune them and that's what I am addressing. They are located so close to the foundation, that allowing them to assume any sort of natural conformation will not be possible. This is how shrubs with nice shapes end up not even vaguely resembling what you started with and usually they are victims to tip-pruning. The centres go bald from shading, and when you start to clip back severely, it opens up large, gaping holes. It usually fills in when the new growth comes on, but each year you can take off less as the shrub matures and then you are in to pruning out whole limbs. More typically removal. Not an issue if you don't plan on being there long-term, but it'll be an issue to someone down the line. Do you happen to know which one you planted?

If you are pretty positive they are dead, I would trim them now - if, heaven forbid, you should damage one of the "replacements" then a new one will have time to grow. Just be really careful not to damage them as you cut out the old one(s). I would select the strongest 3-4 of the new sprouts, and about mid-summer, take out the weakest one(s), as low down as possible, so you will end up with the number of trunks you want. You may have to repeat for a few years, until it settles down as a multi-trunked tree, or it may be an annual chore. My two (a species and a 'Forest Pansy") are single trunked, and I haven't noticed many sprouts - they are most easily removed when tiny, simply by rubbing them off the bark.

The problem is that they arenÂt vertical. Since they were sprouting in the bag they are all more or less growing sideways. There was a limit as to how much I could straighten the tuber cluster in each pot since I was trying to keep the original (last yearÂs) stem upright. Now that they "know" which way is "up" they will undoubtedly turn up, but that will be at the tip of a laying-down section. (Unless I make them little bonsai crutches from popsicle sticks?)

Possibly cutworms, I had this happen to me one year, one pole, 8 plants, almost to the top of the pole. All vines had been neatly cut off right where they emerged from the ground, it was cutworms in my case. Sorry I don't have a recommendation for you, most insecticides have been banned here in B.C. Maybe someone else will chime in with a solution. If planted around a pole maybe give the seedlings a collar, toilet paper tubes might work. Annette