There are over 400 types of holly. Some grow as a small 3-foot shrub, while others can grow to 50 feet in height. The dark green leaves feel like leather and they have spines. The white flowers often produce crimson berries, although there are some varieties that have yellow or orange berries. It is possible to grow your own holly trees without buying them from the garden store or nursery.
Pots
Prepare several 6-inch pots, making sure they have drainage holes at the bottom. Cover the drainage holes with small rocks, a coffee filter, shard pieces, or even a piece of screen. This helps the soil stay in the pot and not wash away each time you water.
Planting Medium
Choose your planting medium. You can make your own soil by mixing equal amounts of peatmoss perlite together in a bucket. Or you can fill the pots with sand only. If you want to, try a container of each to see which one works the best for you. Sometimes one planting medium works better than the other does when it comes to rooting stems.
Water the planting medium thoroughly. Set the pots on a drainage rack to allow excess water to drain away while you go out and gather your cuttings.
Gather the Cuttings
The best time to take holly cuttings is in the spring, or early summer. Before you go out to take any cuttings, it is a good idea to sterilize your pruning shears. This reduces the spread of disease that the plant or your pruning shears may have. Sterilize pruning shears by wiping the blades with rubbing alcohol.
Don a pair of gloves to protect your hands from the spiny points on the leaves. Examine the holly to find the semi-hardwood section. What you are looking for on the stem is the area where last year’s stem quit growing and this year’s stem started growing. The wood will be firm, and the stem will contain leaves that are mature sized with smaller leaves toward the top. Cut the stem right below the leaf node, making sure your stem has about 1 inch of last year’s growth. The stem cuttings should measure 4 to 6 inches in length.
Remove all the leaves, except for the top two or four at the stems tip. Wrap the cut end of the stem in a wet paper towel to keep the cutting hydrated. Place them in a plastic bag and close the top to hold in moisture and humidity.
Prepare Stems for Planting
Wound the stem when you arrive home and you are ready to plant. Scrap away the bark in a 1/2 inch wide strip with a sharp knife at the bottom of the stem. Do this all the way around the stem.
Dip the wounded section of the stem into rooting hormone. Tap the stem with your finger to remove the excess powder. It is important to use only a small amount of rooting hormone. If you use too much, it will burn your plant instead of encouraging the formation of roots.
Planting The Stems
Form a hole in the moistened planting medium with your pencil. Insert the end with rooting hormone in the hole so that no more than half the stem or less is below the soil level. Firm the soil around the cutting with your fingers to hold it upright. You can plant several cuttings in the same pot as long as there is 1 inch of space or more between each stem. If you have them too close, the roots tangled as they grow and they will become damaged when pulled apart.
Inside, going around the outside perimeter of the pot, insert four sticks into the soil, spacing them so they are evenly apart. The sticks need to be at least 1 or 2 inches taller than the cuttings. Place the pot in a plastic bag. The sticks will keep the plastic from resting on top of the cuttings and smashing them down.
Pot Location and Care
Find a sheltered, warm location for your cuttings, out of direct sunlight. If growing them indoors, placing them on a heat mat where you can regulate the soil temperature. The proper setting should be 75° to 85° Fahrenheit.
Check the soil of the pot to ensure that it stays evenly moist. Mist when the soil or sand feels dry, but don’t saturate the soil or the cuttings will rot.
Check for Roots
After six weeks, check the cuttings for roots. Look for new growth or gently pull on the stem. If you feel resistance this indicates that the roots have formed. The cuttings can take longer than six weeks to form roots.
Transplanting
Remove the plastic bag when the cuttings have rooted. Tip the pot over on its side so you can remove the cuttings without damaging the roots.
Individually transplant each rooted cutting into 6-inch pots filled with potting soil. While the weather is warm, during the spring, summer and early fall, place the pots outdoors in a protected area that receives dappled sunlight. When the weather cools, take the pots indoors. Place the pots in a window that receives bright, indirect light. Continue to grow and care for the holly plants for one year.
