How to Prune an Old Holly for Renewal

Purchase the correct tools for your pruning job. If you're just dealing with a small holly bush with branches that measure less than a quarter of an inch, a pair of hand pruning shears should be adequate. For larger holly trees and bushes with branches thicker than an inch, you'll need a pair of lopping shears or a pruning saw.

Cut back your holly in early-spring to mid-summer. This will allow it begin to recover swiftly during the growing season.

Prune your holly bush radically. If your holly is looking particularly sorry for itself and has a number of dead or diseased branches, you should consider cutting the main branches just above where they grow from the trunk. Although this will mean your plant may take some years to fully recover, the growth you get will be much stronger. If your holly tree is in a reasonable condition, cut back to just above the branches that grow from the main trunk. Make clean cuts that only leave a small stub.