Holly should be planted either in early spring or early fall, after the season’s growth has begun to ripen. Foliage should be stripped from the plants to avoid moisture loss. If dug with a ball of earth and severely pruned, plants plant’s maybe removed without stripping. Plants should be sprayed with water daily for several weeks after planting.
Dig a hole at least twice as big as the ball of the holly to be planted. Fill with oak leaf mold, placing the holly so that the top of the root ball is level with the surface of the surrounding earth. A thick mulch of leaf mold, two or more inches deep, is placed over the top of the roots and the surrounding area.
Hollies should be soaked thoroughly with water when planting to compact and settle the leaf mold around the roots so that no air spaces remain.
Potted hollies should have the pot removed when planting. Burlapped holly’s should be planted in the burlap; the burlap will hold the root mass together until the tree has settled in.
Holly’s require a well drained location. Some American Holly’s are quite hardy and will tolerate temperatures as low as -30* F. (-34.44*C.), but in colder climates hollies should be planted out of winter winds as much as possible. As long as there is plenty of oak leaf mold around plant roots, hollies are not fussy about soil requirements.
Holly plants are either male or female. The male is necessary for berry formation and must be planted near by if the female is to have berries. One male plant is sufficient for ten females. (Holly’s)
Holly is easy to care for. It loves water and should be thoroughly soaked once a week or two during the growing season; summer rains are rarely heavy enough to please a holly. Yearly mulch the ground around the tree as far out as the branches spread with well-rotted leaf mold. A mulch of tobacco stems is also especially good for holly.
Pruning not only shapes the trees, but also furnishes branches and berries for Christmas time show. (sprinkle water over them to rinse off dust, oh so gorgeous). Unusually long twigs or leaders should be cut back to the general pattern or shape of tree desired. Hollies can stand heavy pruning.