I have a large holly bush in my garden with berries, it's now very tall and straggly.    I would like to prune it hard back but when is the right time of year to do so and can I be quite ruthless?  I think I remember reading an article by Monty Don in which he wrote that you cut all of the growth on one side and it will come back, then next year you cut all the growth off the other side, this will make the bush thicker when it grows back.  Is this true?

Dont know the right way but my g.mother had a large tree shapped holly in her garden by the gate that grew bigger and bigger! on year dad removed about 6ft from the top bits out of the side so you could get through the gate and we used the top 6ft as a christmas tree ! brilliant non drop only abit spiky to dress. The bush itself was fine and regrew quite happily berries and all over the next few years.I guess Dad must have gone for doing it late autumn which would be my inclination

When to prune holly?. HTH :-)

> he wrote that you cut all of the growth on one side and it will come back, then next year you cut all the growth off the other side

Certainly true of overgrown hedges - you trim the top and each side, one each year - so three years to get it back to size (which is what we are having to do to a very overgrown beech hedge). We had a very long holly and hawthorn hedge where we used to live and it took days to cut (and dispose of the cuttings :( ). It was very good-tempered and you could really cut it at any time of the year, although we always tried to avoid when birds might be nesting - so usually Feb/March and Sept/Oct. It does mean that you lose the berries if it's cut at the wrong time tho' :(

Prune it now :) :)
I have the thought that if its going to look bare, you may as well get it over with in one year!!!!! The berries dont matter for the birds now as there are plenty of other food around for them.
I agree is its a hedge then do it one side one year one side another.
Also with these type of shrubs, always cut about 6" lower than you want to allow for the regrowth :) :) :)
Lea :) :)