Hollies will grow in full sun or partial shade, but will become spindly in dense shade. In windswept areas hollies should be planted in sheltered locations. Consider location carefully also from the standpoint of space. They grow slowly, and although they are small at first, they eventually become broad specimens. Since they will remain in the same location for many years they will benefit by thorough soil preparation. Heavy clay soil can be improved by the addition of sand and two to three bushels of leaf mold or peat moss, for plants three to four feet tall. Small hollies will not need that much humus immediately; more can be worked into the soil as the plants grow.

Potted or canned hollies may be planted at any time during the growing season. Balled and b u rl a pp ed plants transplant best in March and April, just before the new growth commences, and again in late summer and fall. Careful handling in the planting operation is imperative. A broken root ball may ruin the plant. At the time of planting, a depression should be left around each plant. This should be filled with water after planting, and repeated whenever the soil becomes dry during the first year.

Mulch each plant with oak leaves, peat moss mixed with old manure, wood chips or sawdust – to conserve moisture and protect the roots against rapid changes of temperature. A commercial fertilizer high in nitrogen should be spread around the hollies before wood chips or sawdust are applied. This counteracts the depletion of nitrogen from the soil in the initial breakdown of the chips and sawdust. Hollies will benefit from a feeding each February or March, if commercial fertilizers are used – or later when growth is active, if the liquid plant foods are used. A gardener is fortunate if he can apply an annual dressing of old manure which may be supplemented with cotton seed meal.

Hollies need to be shaped in their early years. Long, awkward shoots should be pruned; this work is best done in March before growth commences. Nipping back the tips of many of the branches will induce them to send out side branches to fill in the main body of the plant. If a plant is thin near the top and an ungainly leader has forged ahead, the appearance of the plant can be helped by tying one or two side branches in an upright position to fill in around the leader. And to clean the ground, it is helpful to use gas powered leaf blowers to lessen the work on cleaning the leaves.

When hollies grow older they usually begin suckering at the base. If some of these suckers are left to grow, a bushier plant will result.

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