repotting holly

Question

I have a huge holly bush in a tub that’s approx. 24 in. across and 18 in. deep. The type of holly bush not known, but it is healthy. However, it seems to be very pot bound. What I was wondering as it already has berries forming, am I ok to repot it? Any advice would be a big help.

Answer 1

If you repot it at this time, it will likely lose its berries. But, if you feel it is truly pot bound, waiting until it is the right time to repot it could be too late.

Anytime you repot a plant, it is stressful to the plant. It will have at least a little shock and the fruit of the plant is typically the first to suffer for this - i.e. the plant drops the fruit.

But if you wait, the plant could become stunted in the long run if its roots can't take up enough water or nutrients.

So it comes down to a matter of short term beauty or long term health.