Question
Hello,
I have a row of shamrock Hollies planted about 3 feet from these house on our front landscaping. They all are scarce looking in fullness, and some of the leaves are yellow. There is some new growth this spring, and they have never produced any berries.  They are about 2 years old.  They face the north side and get some afternoon sun.  I have only feed them some miracle grow plant food a couple of times.

Answer

yellow holly Hello there Patti,

Shamrock Holly (Ilex glabra) is usually a very hardy ornamental bush with few concerns.
Although Hollies can stand multiple conditions, they do need acidic soils with soft organic material for proper drainage.

According to the information you posted I would say you have some chlorosis (yellowing) of the leaves due to the alkaline soil in the area which causes nutrition deficiency. The lack of berries is usually a fungus to the roots from a drainage problem.

To address these problems here is what I recommend:

Although water soluble Miracle-Gro is good for alkaline needy plants, this is not the correct fertilizer for a Shamrock Holly bush. There are many types like: Miracle-Gro(acidic), Dynamite,Vigoro,or SoGreen. A slow release,granular,acidic fertilizer is what you should get.

The drainage can easily be addressed by adding a bag of gypsum or sand to the soil, then working it in with a shovel or sturdy metal rake. As for watering, keep this to once or at most, twice a week for about 7-10 minutes.

As a tip, if you cut off most of the unsightly dead branches to shape them, the Shamrock Holly can focus it's energy into making new green leaves. Within a couple of weeks you Shamrock Holly hopes will have happened.

Happy Gardening,
Coach Dave