Can anyone tell me when is the right time to trim up my holly bush? It is getting pretty "spidery" and want it to be round...also the ones with the berries are females, correct? Because I want to buy another one, but not the same sex..thanks alot!

Do you know what kind of holly bush you have now, i.e., the name/variety of the bush?

Also, are you experiencing a drought now? That would make a difference as to whether or not you could prune now or wait until the bush is stronger.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GardenSprite,

No, I'm sorry sprite, I don't know the name or variety of the bush, we are experiencing a drought tho. I live in PA if that is any help..I think I read somewhere to prune them in the fall.

I think what I would do is wait until the drought is over, or at least significantly less severe, then prune. Plants are under stress now, even some of the junk trees, and even though pruning would lessen the branches they need to support, it could also stress them.

If you have mulch or dried grass clippings, I would use them to help preserve what moisture there is so your holly can survive.

If you can afford to water it, give it a good soaking, let the soil dry but not to the point of being parched, then apply the mulch. Don't put it right up next to the base of the holly though - leave breathing room.

In the meantime,I would try to find out which holly variety you have so you can find a mate within the same species.

I do think the female berries are the fruit bearing plants.

Here are some links to information on holly varieties:

http://www.grit.com/property/t...holly-varieties.aspx

http://www.naturehills.com/bus...-shrubs/holly-shrubs (good photos on different varieties

http://www.google.com/search?q...sAQ&biw=1024&bih=570 (lots of photos, but not all of the varieties are identified).

thanks sprite! much appreciated!