" These big Holly's need pruning. Proper pruning improves appearance strength and health. The best time to prune living branches is after new growth starts so you can see what's healthy, but dead and damaged branches can be cut anytime. Start with the right tools. Pruning shears should be sharp and fit your hand. You might also need loppers with long handles and a small sharp saw for larger limbs. Look carefully at the shrub and decide what pruning is needed. Is it too thick or crowded at the bottom? Is it getting too tall? Trimming the top will control the height as well as redirect the growth hormones to allow the shrub to fill out. How about the shape? Is there irregular growth that needs to be trimmed back? Are there older unhealthy stems or scraggly inside growth that needs to be removed? Cutting back a branch stimulates remaining shoots to grow. Cutting a light twig will result in new shoots. It thickens a shrub. Always cut away a branch where it grows from the stem or live shoot. Cut the stem at an angle and leave a small branch bark collar. Next, thin out old scraggly growth and crossed crowded branches. Removing excessive small inside branches opens the plant without stimulating new top growth. As you learn to prune, be conservative. You can always trim more later. Moving to the bottom, trim away branches that are too close to the ground crowding the shrub. Leave healthy new shoots that form the main structure. Stand back and review your work. Are there irregular branches that need to be removed? Too often this is where beginners start pruning leaving a crowded, unnatural, over-shaped shrub. And by trimming the height of the shrub, remove just enough top shoots to bring the shrub down to the desired height. Remove each shoot from the stem at its point of growth. Never chop the shoot as if it were a hedge. When you're finished the shrub will have a natural look and be much healthier and ready for new growth."