What to do with this holly tree
CazzieT
Posts: 74
I took drastic measures yesterday and hard pruned a huge holly bush/tree which we'd allowed to get completely out of control over many years. I started off thinking I might be able to prune all the branches back a bit but it soon became clear that all the growth was on huge long spindly shoots which were all tangled so I took them all off. It also had a secondary leading shoot which I have removed. We are now left with a tall, lanky, cone shaped tree with a very knobbly, ugly trunk and the branches starting about 6 feet up. It is hard up against an old hawthorn that is covered with ivy. It's in a 'wild' area of the garden so doesn't need to look like a wonderful specimen but I'd like to help it to look reasonably good. I'm wondering if I can save the day by cutting off the top to encourage sideways growth and under-plant with something that will hide the trunk. Tried to attach a photo but not sure it's worked (the side branches and second leading shoot have been cut off since this was taken). Any ideas gratefully received.
Last edited: 03 November 2017 17:00:34
Posts
Finally managed to get a couple of photos to show up.
Last edited: 03 November 2017 17:09:31
There's no problem with hard pruning your Holly provided it is happy and growing well. Without a picture, it is quite hard to say much other than say, the shrub may take a bit of time to grow back and hide the stubs, especially the tall section you mention.
Sounds like a mature specimen, so you can underplant something under the canopy. But best not to opt for shrubs with huge roots.
Thanks for your reply - hope you have now seen my second message with photo!
OK, just seen your photos now. Not really a mature shrub (in my view), but all fine. I would prune back those stray branches sticking out on the lower levels to even the look. I however disagree with you needing to prune off the top section harshly. A trim to reduce height by around 1 ft maximum would slowly change the shape of your tree. But it's totally up to you.
Last edited: 03 November 2017 17:14:59
it looks as though it's been cut back before.
I'd remove those bits that stick out at the side completely if you want a tree, or cut it right back to a couple of foot if you want a bush
In the sticks near Peterborough
It's actually about 30 years old and it has hardly ever been pruned - I took off a massive amount of foliage and branches, some of which can be seen on the ground in the photos. The leading shoot seems to have grown fairly recently as an attempt to reach light as the area was, until a few weeks ago, heavily shaded by some large aspens which have now been felled. All the side pieces have now been removed. Nutcutlet, are you suggesting to cut it hard down to ground level to encourage growth from the base as I'm not sure it will put out any more growth from the trunk?
It will put out lot of growth from the trunk, we did the same with one in our garden, it had shoots all the way round it, as Nut says, cut two feet from the ground and stand well back?
Encouraging but scary - how long do you think it would take to start shooting away if I cut it right down to two feet?
Probably April time then it will grow like the clappers.
Last edited: 03 November 2017 18:07:37
Go for it and cut it hard back as Nut says ... it'll really reward you ... give it a sprinkling of Fish Blood and Bone just to give it a nudge in late February.early March, water it in and give it a mulch of leafmould or similar, and as Lyn says ... Stand well back ....... we'll look forward to the photos.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.