Watering European holly

• Holly Origin
• Holly care and location
• Cutting holly
• Watering holly
• Fertilizing holly

European Holly Origin

The European holly (Ilex aquifolium) belongs to the holly family and is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. It reaches a height of 2 to 5 m and can live up to 200 years. The European holly is very robust and undemanding and can grow in many different soils and climates. It is particularly common in forests as well as in parks and gardens.

Holly is mentioned in many religious contexts. In Christianity, its green leaves and red berries symbolize life and blood. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, and depending on the climate, palm branches or other green plants such as boxwood, willow, or holly are blessed.

The flowers of the European holly appear from May to June and are inconspicuous. The leaves of the European holly are evergreen and have a glossy surface. The leaf shape varies from oval to oblong-oval. The leaves have a smooth surface and are lighter on the underside than on the upper side. The leaf stalks are short and thick. The leaves of the holly have small thorns along their edges, which are responsible for the name holly. 
The fruits of the holly are shiny, red berries that ripen from September to January and are eaten by birds.

In folklore and traditional medicine, European holly has been used for centuries to treat gastrointestinal problems and rheumatism. It is also frequently used in herbal medicine to support digestion and reduce inflammation.

European holly care and location

The European holly prefers a partially shaded to shady location with well-drained, humus-rich, and nutrient-rich soil. However, it can also thrive in shady areas and regions with poor soil quality, provided there is sufficient water and nutrients. In hot and dry regions, the holly prefers locations that are shaded and where the soil does not dry out completely.

Pruning European holly

Regular pruning is necessary to promote the growth of European holly and improve its appearance. It is recommended to prune it annually in spring. Superfluous, diseased, or damaged branches should be removed. To keep the holly in shape, branches that grow outside the desired form and obstruct other branches should be removed.

Watering holly

As a result of climate change, hotter and drier periods are becoming more frequent, which has an impact on nature and especially on trees. Depending on its location and the climate situation, holly may need to be watered more frequently than in the past. Holly has low water requirements and prefers dry conditions. It thrives in areas with low rainfall and dry soils and tolerates dry periods.
During the growing season, however, the holly should be watered regularly to support optimal growth. The soil should be kept moist but not wet. Too much water can cause the roots to become damaged. Conventional watering with a hose can result in too much water landing on the soil at once and then evaporating or running off before it reaches the roots. With tree bath water bags watering is more efficient and water is saved. The watering bags have two holes in the bottom that continuously release water into the soil as drip irrigation over several hours, allowing the shallow roots to absorb the water better.
The watering bag also covers the surface of the soil, preventing moisture from evaporating.
The capacity of the tree bath watering bag is 75 to 100 liters and is sufficient to supply young and newly planted trees. Existing trees can tolerate more water and 150 to 200 liters per watering is a good guideline.
Attaching and filling tree bath watering bags is easy and self-explanatory. The bag is placed around the tree trunk like a jacket and closed with a zip. In the next step, you fill the bag with enough water so that after further alignment no wrinkles are visible in the lower area and then let it fill up.

Fertilizing holly

The holly usually does not require any additional fertilizationIt is an undemanding plant and can thrive in most soils. However, if the soil is particularly poor in nutrients, it is a good idea to add an organic fertilizer such as compost or plant manure to the soil in spring and work it in lightly. To ensure that the holly is not confronted with over-fertilization, an analysis of the nutrient content of the soil is recommended before applying the fertilizer.