When one thinks of pruning, the vision that provides motivation is one of our gangly, oversized and/or misplaced trees and shrubs neatly trimmed, thriving, and just the right size.
You know, the size that we had pictured them to be all along.
Sometimes, it’s the plant tags that lead us astray at the time of purchase, assuring us that our selection will be perfect for the spot we have in mind — growing no taller, or wider, as stated and perfectly well-behaved.
As it sometimes turns out, that’s the dream…with the “dream come true” proving to be elusive.
What’s needed is a comprehensive, definitive (yet easy-to-follow) guide that covers what to prune and what time of year.
I’m still looking.
What happens is that guides like those that line library shelves with their promise to be all that — comprehensive and definitive — don’t seem to have information to fit my garden.
So I turn to the wealth of online information.
Here are two resources that I’ve found especially helpful:
Purdue Extension’s “Tree Pruning Essentials,” found at https://extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-506-W.pdf
Proven Winner’s Part 1 “Pruning Shrubs,” Part 2 “When is the Best Time to Prune?” and Part 3 “How to Prune (and why).”
The Purdue resource covers the technical side of pruning, and gets an A+ for it’s thoroughness.
The Proven Winner’s sites are helpful for simplifying a complex topic with approachable, bite-sized tips, like the distilled version of pruning you’ll find in Part 1 called “Pruning Demystified.”
With the Christmas season nearly at our doorstep, holly bushes are one of those desirable evergreens that we wish that we had planted last spring or early summer for use this year.
But hey, maybe spring 2021 will be the one to get it together for Christmas holiday season 2021.
With that in mind, here are a few English holly choices to consider while taking Bartholomew County’s Hardiness Zone in mind. Also keep in mind that you’ll need a male and female bush planted nearby (within 20-30 feet) for the female to produce berries.
Sky Pencil holly: 8-10 feet tall, 2-3 feet across, can tolerate deep shade.
Argentea Marginata holly: cream-edged, 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide, full sun to partial shade.
Post Office holly: If your planting site doesn’t allow the ideal male and female spacing, this holly is self-fertile. However, express caution. Check the plant variety’s plant tag details, like height, carefully. Some can grow to heights of 50 feet! Follow up with a Google search for tag info verification.
There’s plenty of time to plan ahead and get a holly that’s going to provide the features that you desire.
Remember, picking size-appropriate trees and shrubs sized for the spot in which they’ll be planted is always best.
Be sure to shelter English hollies from too much hot afternoon sun and plenty of moisture. A north location with run-off from a house or garage roof would be ideal. The female of the species is the one that berries, and is best pruned in late spring to early summer, keeping in mind that severe pruning will reduce the number of fall berries.
For more information on the selections mentioned above, see https://fafard.com/gardening-with-english-holly/ for information provided by Elisabeth Ginsburg, a hands-on horticulturalist and gardening columnist whose experience includes studying horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden.
Happy holly-days to you and yours!
Becky Pinto has been a Master Gardener since 2006 and was the Master Gardener newsletter editor from 2006-2019. She’s a Silver Level Master Gardener, based on cumulative volunteer hours served in the program. Her columns run monthly in The Republic. All opinions expressed are those of the writer. Send comments to [email protected].
