I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

--
Jenny (the Netherlands)
remove squirrel to reply

JennyC wrote:
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

When I enquired to have mine pruned, my surgeon said it didn't matter
when to do it. Ours was cut by half - ending at about 4m high and done
in the spring. I would indeed think spring to be a good idea though. It
has since developed hundreds of little leaf, only seen from the second
floor of the house ;o)

But pruned hard? Right down? I'm not sure ...

"JennyC" wrote in message
...
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

Our variegated is kept as a hedging shrub - rather, um, casual in shape :-)

A seedling (not variegated) tree was causing a lot of shade to the
greenhouse so I cut back all the branches to the trunk, leaving the crown
because I couldn't reach it. It's like a standard now, I like it. It does
throw stuff up round its base, they're left or cut off as I feel inclined
but it suggests that cutting the main stem/trunk down might not be a
disaster.

I can't remember when I did it but it doesn't seem to matter.

Mary

"JennyC" wrote in message
...
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

--
Jenny (the Netherlands)
remove squirrel to reply
Did you mean tatty looking? Perhaps it's looking ratty cos it knows it is
about to be butchered:-) Prune holly anytime that suits you. It will
resprout with a vengeance. If you chop them down totally they resprout from
the base with multiple shoots and form a nice pyramidal effect.

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message
...

"JennyC" wrote in message
...
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

--
Jenny (the Netherlands)
remove squirrel to reply
Did you mean tatty looking? Perhaps it's looking ratty cos it knows it is
about to be butchered:-) Prune holly anytime that suits you. It will
resprout with a vengeance. If you chop them down totally they resprout
from the base with multiple shoots and form a nice pyramidal effect.

I'll get a picture of it up tomorrow..........
Then you can decide what state its in "~)
Jenny

On 15/10/06 20:36, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:


"JennyC" wrote in message
...
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

--
Jenny (the Netherlands)
remove squirrel to reply
Did you mean tatty looking? Perhaps it's looking ratty cos it knows it is
about to be butchered:-) Prune holly anytime that suits you. It will
resprout with a vengeance. If you chop them down totally they resprout from
the base with multiple shoots and form a nice pyramidal effect.

My only reservation would be "does it have berries on it that you want for
Christmas?" If not, do as you wish to it. They seem to be such thugs that
very little upsets them.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote
, "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote:
"JennyC" wrote
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing
with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is
a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

--
Jenny (the Netherlands)

Did you mean tatty looking? Perhaps it's looking ratty cos it knows it is
about to be butchered:-) Prune holly anytime that suits you. It will
resprout with a vengeance. If you chop them down totally they resprout
from
the base with multiple shoots and form a nice pyramidal effect.

My only reservation would be "does it have berries on it that you want for
Christmas?" If not, do as you wish to it. They seem to be such thugs
that
very little upsets them.
Sacha

Not many berries, but the trimming will be good for arrangements at Xmas.
Will wait till then :~)
Jenny

On 16/10/06 05:30, in article , "JennyC"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
, "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote:
"JennyC" wrote
I have this straggly variegated holly tree that needs something doing
with
it to bush it out. it's about 6ft tall but very 'ratty' looking. When is
a
good time to prune it hard - now or spring??

--
Jenny (the Netherlands)

Did you mean tatty looking? Perhaps it's looking ratty cos it knows it is
about to be butchered:-) Prune holly anytime that suits you. It will
resprout with a vengeance. If you chop them down totally they resprout
from
the base with multiple shoots and form a nice pyramidal effect.

My only reservation would be "does it have berries on it that you want for
Christmas?" If not, do as you wish to it. They seem to be such thugs
that
very little upsets them.
Sacha

Not many berries, but the trimming will be good for arrangements at Xmas.
Will wait till then :~)
Jenny


The perfect compromise! Our best berrying holly looks rather sparse and
tatty and grows beside the churchyard wall almost unnoticed. But yesterday
I walked down the sloping path towards it and it is absolutely covered with
berries, glowing brightly in the gloom. It's best seen from the top of the
slope and if the birds don't get them all, we'll have loads for Christmas.
In fact, I think I'll net part of it!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/