Question
Chad,
 
    I have three female holly bushes in front of my window and a male on the side of the house on the corner.  My problem is with the three female bushes, the male is fine.  The branches look like they were wind burned because the branches are black at the tips and the rest of the branch is brown. (We had a horrible winter full of snow and ice) There doesn't appear to be any leaf buds this spring to encourage me that they are okay.  This is only happening to the top part of the bushes.  The sides are fine, looking full and healthy.  Do I trim the dead branches away or just leave it be and hope for the best?   I've never had holly bushes before so I don't know how I care for them properly.  Do they need to be covered in winter with burlap?  Should I knock any snow off the bushes? Any help would greatly be appreciated!  I want to save them!
Thanks!  
Carole

Answer
Hi Carole,
You should trim off any dead wood on the tree that has not leafed out yet. The top of your tree is furthest from the root system which is why it was the first to suffer from cold Winter winds. These winds can cause the plant to lose moisture rapidly and cause die-back on your branches like you are seeing. You shouldn't have to knock the snow off of these plants in winter, but there are a few things you can do to prepare for a harsh winter in the future:

Apply an extra layer (not mounded, but spread evenly) of mulch in Fall
Water late in the season - soak once a week Nov through Dec
Spray Wiltpruf or Leafshield late fall