Holly Tree/ leaf loss

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Glory B
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Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 1:19 pm
Location: Bromley, Kent

I have a young holly tree in the garden that has shed a lot of its leaves.
Could this have something to do with the so-called drought we're having?
The leaves that have fallen are lethal little buggers....they'd make a great deterrent for slugs!

Glory B
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Johnboy
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Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:15 pm
Location: NW Herefordshire

Hi Glory B,
Although Holly Trees are evegreen they do shed old leaves and if the plant otherwise looks healthy with good green leaves I would suggest that this is perfectly normal process. If not come back to me and we'll take it from there.
JB.
Glory B
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Posts: 79
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 1:19 pm
Location: Bromley, Kent

Good morning Johnboy....there are still a fair few yellowing leaves on the tree waiting to drop.
I said this was a young tree, but when I think about it, it was planted from a very small cutting about twenty years ago.
It stands next to a conifer,(dare I say Lleyandii)which is being kept under control. But I wonder if maybe it could be taking more of its share of nutrients from the soil, and gradually starving the poor Holly. :(

Glory B
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Johnboy
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Location: NW Herefordshire

Hi Glory B,
Certainly that could be the problem as Leylandii are exceedingly thirsty plants. You probably noted a recent posting where I felled over 100 of the buggers and one of reasons they had to go was that nothing would grow within 40ft either side of the what was a windbreak. Now my nursery is closed there was no longer to have them about a minute longer than necessary!!
That doesn't somehow help you though but if the Holly Tree is about 20 years old it should be about 15ft tall. I grew some from seed maybe a little longer ago and they were planted in the hedgerow for diversity and are now over 20ft and as luck would have it I unwittingly planted four females and one male and they provide Christmas berries if the Redwing's haven't had them before me.
JB.
Glory B
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Posts: 79
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 1:19 pm
Location: Bromley, Kent

Do you know JB, I have just taken a closer look at Holly and find that it is covered in clusters of tiny white flowers! I must go around with my eyes shut. (not such a bad thing some of the time)
Would this mean it is female and that it would need a male tree for it to produce berries....because I can't remember it ever producing berries. (then again I could be wrong)
I would say its about 11ft high but I wouldn't say it had loads of branches, which made me say in the first place it was a young tree.
I'm amazed you grew Hollies from seed...great stuff!
Bye the way haven't seen Redwings around this way for years.
Thanks JB
Pol
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That's interesting about the holly dropping leaves. We bought a 3foot high holly last autumn and never got round to planting it so it has survived all winter rolling around in a tiny little pot with very little water and care :oops: , but amazingly was looking fine and healthy. A couple of weeks ago I finally planted it in a nice good sized pot with some fresh compost and watered it. Since then a lot of leaves have fallen off and it is looking a bit sad. I though it was something I had done, but perhaps it is just a seasonal thing?
Polly.
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