I have an older (but somewhat small) Holly tree on my porch that is being attacked by what I've been able to identify as a 'red-naped sapsucker'. I'm still in the process of ending his feasting by hanging anything and everything I can around the tree to try to keep him from comfortably eating. I wasn't having much success until I had to put some aluminum foil around the tree. But, I'm still left with the rows and patches of damage. Is there something I can do (like patch or seal) the open wounds to help the tree survive?
You are better off leaving the wounds open. The shrub will heal itself. Patching the wounds will lead to trapping harmful bacteria in the wounds, which increases the chances of rot.
I purchased an Ilex meserveae 'Blue Maid' for a terra cotta pot. The plant is about 18 inches high, and I want to know how often I should water and feed it? I have it in a south-facing aspect. Is this okay? Also, how near does a male plant have to be for more berries?
They need to have a male within 100 feet to pollinate and get berries.
Water the container when dry, which will likely be once a day in temps above 60F and twice a day in temps above 80F.
Fertilize once in the spring and then again half way through the summer.
We have a holly bush, five feet tall, on the north side of the house. The front of the bush is all green but the back has many tan leaves. Is that a disease or is it dying?
It may be that the backside of the bushes are not getting enough light. For instance, the side of the house may be blocking the light to that side of the plants.
How do you get rid of it?
It is actually probably mealybugs. They look like white, cottony puffs or patches and are found under the leaves. I like to use neem oil on pests like these. It is organic, safe for people, pets and beneficial bugs and very effective. Here is some more information that will help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/mealybugs-white-residue-on-plants-leaves.htm
My Holly bush stems are dropping their leaves, and at the base of the leaves, there are small growths that remain on the stem. What is going on, and is the bush in danger?
Can you describe the growths? This will help us to better identify the problem and suggest solutions.
We planted some new holly bushes last spring. Although they didn't have a ton of berries, the leaves looked great. Over the past few weeks, we have noticed that two of the four we planted have begun to lose leaves. I have never had holly bushes before and don't know whether this is normal. If not normal, what could be the problem?
The good news is that it is likely a fixable problem (brown leaves are more of an indicator of disease). There are several things that cause yellow leaves on a holly. Mostly, it is an indicator that the plant is stressed. Here is an article on some possible causes of the stress: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/holly/holly-yellow-leaves.htm
The other thing that may be causing the stress is pests. This would also explain the random nature of the stress. Check the plants carefully for pests. I would even say to go as far as to treat the plants with an insecticide (I like neem oil, myself - effective and organic) just in case. Some pests can be very hard to see.
A lot of snow has fallen on my holly trees this winter. Some of the branches look like they're dying. Will they come back to life, or what should I do?
The leaves might be dead, but if the stems are still alive, they will regrow their leaves. I would wait about a month and then check for new growth. If you don't see new growth in a month, trim away the dead areas.