holly bushes dead?

Question

I had someone trim my holly bushes, he trimmed them down to the stalk! They did not sprout any new growth last year or so far this year. Are they dead? I am so sad 🙁

Answer 1

Rejuvenation pruning – cutting down to several inches from the ground- can be a successful way to reduce the size of an overgrown shrub. Timing is important; it should be done while the plant is dormant. If yours was drastically trimmed after the first flush of new growth, it may have killed the plant. That said, a mature shrub has a lot of sturdy root growth. Is it dense and dark in the middle? If so, you should remove some branches down to the ground to let more light in. Cut or trim any branch; is there a light green rim just under the bark? If so, it is alive. If brown throughout, it is dead. Remove all dead wood, and hope for some new growth this year. Fertilize to help it along. It will take several years to recover.