"Davy" wrote in message
om...
P.K.
thanks for responding almost immediately. I never doubted the advice
given;
my question was that "will cutting back just a couple of branches will
cause
those branches to generate new shoots" - or will the tree put its growth
into the 90% unpruned branches - letting the couple of pruned branches
remain mostly bare?


No, the pruned branches will get most of the new growth.
The higher those branches are the more successful this will be. But IME
holly more than most manages to throw new growth from any level if it is
reasonably lit[1] and to a lesser extent if not so well lit.

[1] Light can be allowed through the canopy by clearing out growth from the
core (ie near the trunk) but this action depends on how the tree has
previously been managed ie 'hat standing' promotes a dense core.

In summary, cut 'em they'll grow by sending out predominantly vertical
leaders.

--
Mike W