Question
We have 2 Shamrock hollies that were originally planted in the wrong location with too little sun and too little water.  They lost all thier bottom leaves. They are about 2.5 feet tall. We moved them and they are in happier locations now, but after 2 years, they still have no leaves on the bottom 75% of the plant.  This is the first year we have seen new growth from the bottom. We are unsure what action to take in order to help the plant to return to its normal state.  Thank you in advance for your help.

Answer
Dear Jamie,

Hello, I'm "Coach Dave" and I work for The Home Depot solving plant problems. I've dealt with problems myself like yours and the solutions takes a while, but is not too difficult.

Diseases,Pest's and Molds are the usual problems in Shamrock Holly Bushes("Ilex glabra"), such as holly scab, holly canker, scale insects, sooty mold,and holly blight. From the description of symptoms I'm guessing your Shamrock Bush is suffering from a disease called holly leaf blight or "Phytophthora ilicis." This microorganism thrives in cold and shady areas.

To solve this problem I would first inspect the leaves, branches, and trunk of the plant. This is to rule out bugs. If there is a bug problem a systemic insecticide will solve that easy enough.

If the leaf loss is the only problem, start by raking up ALL the leaves and twigs around the plant to stop the spread of spores. Next I would add some bark mulch around the area to make a barrier to prevent re-infection.

Lastly I would use a systemic fungicide every 3 days. Doing this about 3 or 4 times will usually solve the problem. Remember, when using fungicides you should not water that day...this will dilute the chemical.

Yours Respectfully,
Coach Dave