Barberry planting and care at home. Decorative barberry - planting and care on your site. Planting young seedlings

Barberry is a family of thorny shrubs up to 2 m high with small sour berries. Most often, barberry, Thunberga and whole barberry are grown at home.

Barberry at home - a description of the plant and its distinctive features

Most cultivars shed their leaves in autumn. There are evergreen varieties, but they do not have a variety of colors. Deciduous plants have a crown of various shades - from golden yellow to burgundy and purple. In autumn, the leaves acquire brighter and more saturated colors.

Common barberry grown for berries. It is a tall, spreading shrub with thorny branches, green rounded foliage and small yellow flowers. Barberry blooms in May-June. Its berries are tasty, but have large seeds. Breeders have developed a seedless variety specifically for eating fruits - Berberis vulgaris var. Asperma.

Barberry entire It is distinguished by its elongated leaf shape. The fruits of this variety are darker in color, covered with a bluish bloom and collected in long clusters.

Barberry Thunberg not suitable for those who want to get a harvest of berries. Its fruits are inedible for humans: they have a bitter taste and contain alkaloids. But for birds they serve as excellent winter food.

What domestic plant varieties are there?

The most popular decorative varieties for home growing Thunberg barberry. This species has dozens of varieties of various shapes and colors. Tall bushes are used as hedges, as they tolerate pruning well. Low-growing plants are suitable for alpine slides and flowerpots. Dwarf varieties of Thunberg barberry can have a spherical or columnar shape and a height of 30 to 100 cm. They grow slowly and do not need to be shaped.

The most popular dwarf varieties of Thunberg barberry:

• Atropurpurea Nana- spherical shrub up to 60 cm in size. The shoots are thin, with small rounded foliage. In summer, barberry leaves are deep purple, in autumn they are fiery red. Blooms in late May - early June. Suitable for planting along paths, in rock gardens and flowerpots.
• Tiny Gold- spherical bush with a diameter of up to 50 cm. The leaves are small, round, golden yellow. They become brighter in autumn. Used in landscape compositions to create contrast.
• Admiration- a slow-growing shrub up to 60 cm high, up to 1 m wide. The leaves are red with a light green or golden border. The berries ripen in September-October and remain on the branches until mid-winter.
• Pink Queen- a spreading bush up to 1.5 m high. From a distance it appears pink. The leaves are red with pink and gray spots, scarlet in the fall. Good as a single lawn decoration.
• Helmond Pillar- columnar bush up to 1.5 m high with crimson-purple leaves. This variety is often used for hedges.

Dwarf varieties can be grown on a windowsill like any indoor plant.
From left to right: Atropurpurea Nana, Tiny Gold, Admiration, Pink Queen, Helmond Pillar.

Before buying a seedling, you need to decide why the plant is being purchased:

• For growing on a personal plot and obtaining a harvest of berries, it is recommended to choose seedless barberry. Its fruits are suitable for cooking and home canning.
• To create a hedge, you should take a closer look at columnar varieties. Due to their vertical shape, they do not require heavy pruning.
• For planting along paths, in rock gardens or flowerpots, spherical varieties of various heights and colors are suitable.
• To grow barberry at home, you should choose the smallest varieties.

It is better to choose a seedling from a nursery in early autumn. At this time, it is easier to distinguish varieties that are similar in appearance. You should pay attention to the condition of the plant:

• The shoots of a young healthy seedling are thin and flexible.
• The foliage is dense and has a color characteristic of the variety.
• The root system is well developed, without signs of rot.
• The earthen lump is not overdried.
• The seedling should not show signs of diseases or pests.

Important! Some varieties have spotted leaves. However, for other varieties, spots on the foliage are a sign of disease. Before purchasing, you should clarify which color is the norm for the selected variety.

Planting a plant - step by step steps

Barberry prefers light loamy soils with an acidity no higher than pH: 7. When grown alone, bushes should be planted in holes at a distance of at least 1.5 m. When planting a hedge, barberry is planted in a trench, 2 seedlings per 1 linear meter.

Procedure for landing:

1. Dig a planting hole or trench 40 cm deep. Pour a 1:1 mixture of peat and humus onto the bottom.
2. If the soil is very acidic, it is recommended to add a handful of slaked lime or wood ash.
3. Put the seedling in the hole, cover with soil and compact.
4. Water the planted plant and mulch the soil with sawdust or other natural mulch.

Attention! For planting, you need to choose a sunny and not too humid place - barberry does not tolerate stagnant water in the soil. The shrub can grow in partial shade, but with insufficient lighting the leaves lose their bright color.

Barberry is considered a winter-hardy plant, but severe frosts can damage the shoots. It is recommended to cover low-growing varieties with snow before wintering, and wrap columnar varieties with covering textiles.

It is better to prune barberry in early spring, removing old and damaged branches. During the growing season, you can only pinch out shoots growing in the wrong direction. Every 4-5 years you need to rejuvenate the bush by cutting out old branches.

Plant care

Planting and caring for ornamental barberry shrubs does not require much effort. Barberry is a drought-resistant plant. It is enough to water it once a week.

The root system of barberry penetrates to great depths, so frequent loosening of the soil is beneficial for it. It is recommended to loosen the soil under the bushes weekly, the day after watering.

Plants should be fertilized with compounds containing humates and microelements. Foliar feeding is also useful. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be applied a year after planting.

Barberry propagation

The barberry bush can be propagated in several ways:

• Seeds. You need to collect ripe berries, separate the seeds from the pulp and dry them. Sow better in autumn, as seeds need cold to prepare for germination. If spring sowing is planned, the seeds should be stored in a cool, dry place all winter. One-year-old seedlings are transplanted to permanent place.
• cuttings. Healthy shoots should be cut into cuttings 2-3 internodes long and treated with growth stimulants. Plant in a mixture of peat, humus and sand, water and cover with film. Barberry is propagated by cuttings in the spring. After rooting and the appearance of young foliage, the plants can be transplanted to the chosen location.
• By layering. On an adult bush, you need to select the outermost annual shoots. Make grooves in the soil, lay branches and secure with wire. Cover with soil so that only the tops remain on the surface. Next, care for the plant as usual. By autumn, the cuttings will have taken root and can be separated and replanted.
• Dividing the bush. This method is suitable for heavily overgrown shrubs. The mother plant should be dug up and divided into parts garden saw, shovel or axe. It is better to sprinkle the cuts with wood ash. Parts of the bush should be immediately planted in a permanent place and watered.

Seed propagation is suitable for common barberry. It is not recommended to grow decorative varieties in this way: the external properties of barberry may be lost. For propagation of selected varieties, barberry cuttings, layering and dividing the bush are more suitable. These methods make it possible to completely transfer varietal characteristics to a seedling from mother plant.

Medicinal properties of barberry root

An infusion of barberry root has antispasmodic, choleretic, diuretic, enveloping and astringent properties. Improves blood clotting and helps dissolve salts in the body. However, taking the infusion is not recommended during pregnancy and in the acute phase of the disease. The beneficial properties and contraindications for barberry root are explained by a combination of natural components:

• organic acids;
• alkaloids;
• tannins;
• vitamins E and C.

An infusion of barberry root is used:

• For gastrointestinal diseases.
• If kidney function is impaired.
• For inflammation of the bladder.
• For bronchopulmonary diseases.
• For blood clotting disorders.

To prepare the infusion, use 1 tsp. crushed barberry root, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve and drink 2 tbsp. l. 3−4 times a day.

Important! Use in medicinal purposes You can only use barberry root. Other varieties are not suitable for medicinal use.

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Ornamental shrubs serve as hedges and shade flower arrangements.

Thanks to their elegant foliage, many of them look good in single plantings. Barberry in the country will be the pearl of the garden.

Majority decorative varieties changes foliage color throughout the summer. The culture is unpretentious and can withstand harsh winters almost painlessly.

In the wild, the crop is a shrub reaching two meters in height. The arched branches of the plant are studded with thorns.

Leaves grow from the base of the thorns. Barberry blooms in May–June.

The oblong red berries ripen in September. They contain many vitamins and microelements. In their natural environment, bushes grow along rivers, at the foot of mountains, and on the edges.

Decorative barberry looks great both during the flowering and fruiting periods. Elegant autumn foliage sets off yellowed trees and bushes.

About ten species of shrubs grow on Russian territory, but breeders are creating new unique and hardy varieties.

Today, tall plants, dwarfs and semi-creeping shrubs are available for sale.

Common barberry is more common than others. The plant takes root well and grows quickly. The flowers have a honey aroma.

Gardeners prefer bushes with purple leaves, which look impressive as a hedge.

Popular varieties:

The low-growing shrub has white-variegated foliage.

In shaded areas it loses its decorative effect.

The flowering period occurs at the end of May.

The fruits ripen by the end of September and remain on the bush until frost occurs. The berries can be used in cooking.

Aureo-marginata is a medium-sized plant.

The leaves have a golden hue.

By early autumn they turn bright red.

Yellow-red flowers form on the bush.

The berries ripen in September.

Atropupurea - the bush reaches two meters in height. The leaf color is purple.

The branches grow by 25 cm per year.

Small flowers are yellow in color.

The plant produces a bountiful harvest every year. The variety is drought resistant.

Common barberry is suitable for hedges in the conditions of Siberia and the Far East.

From the mountain slopes of China and Japan came barberry thunberg. This species is compact and spherical.

Other advantages include special decorativeness and resistance to fungal diseases.

Popular varieties:

Lutin rouge. This variety of Thunberg barberry is suitable for small areas. The foliage is tinted red throughout the summer. The fruits do not fall off in the winter, which gives the bush additional decorativeness. The variety can withstand cold temperatures down to -30˚C.

pink queen. The height of the bush does not exceed one and a half meters. The spreading crown and pinkish leaves allow this variety to be planted in solitary plantings. In the shade the leaves turn brown. The variety tolerates pruning well.

Admiration. The height of the plant barely exceeds half a meter. Shoots grow slowly. Red leaves are edged with a light stripe. Bright red berries remain on the bush until mid-winter.

Thunberg barberry “Kornita” is most often used for landscaping parks and courtyards. The spreading, dark-colored shrub is drought-resistant and winter-hardy.

Timing and choice of landing site

An open and sunny area is suitable for the plant. The amount of light directly affects the color of the foliage.

The future flowerbed must be dry; the plant does not tolerate flooding and high groundwater. The shrub has a powerful root system, so low-lying areas are also not suitable.

Barberry seedlings are planted in the spring, before bud break. During this period, the seedlings will actively grow and give new shoots.

Planting barberry in the fall is allowed. In this case, it is necessary to pay special attention to protecting the young plant from frost.

Preparation and rules for planting young seedlings

Planting and planting depends on the quality of barberry seedlings. further care in open ground. A novice gardener is not recommended to chase the exotic.

It is better to give preference to proven varieties common barberry. When purchasing, you should make sure that there are no dry leaves or shoots on the seedling. The root system must be elastic.

The plant prefers soils with a neutral pH.

If the soil on the site is acidic, it is necessary to add wood ash or slaked lime.

Heavy soils drain. To do this, crushed stone or broken brick is poured into the bottom of the planting hole.

The size of one pit is 40 by 40 cm.

After planting, the bushes are watered and mulched abundantly. It is recommended to prune extended branches.

Planting a single plant

The distance from other plants is at least one and a half meters.

The depth of the hole should be slightly larger than the earthen ball of the seedling.

After immersion, the roots in the planting hole are carefully laid out.

It is better to sprinkle the plant with a nutritious substrate consisting of peat, turf soil and humus.

You can’t bury the growing point, as this slows down the development of the bushes.

Planting a hedge

Barberry does not suffer from baldness of the lower part, so the green fences are especially lush.

Planting barberry depends on how thick the hedge is planned to be.

In order for the bushes to grow in a dense wall, it is necessary to plant 4 seedlings per linear meter.

Selection of neighbors for barberry

The shrub gets along well with most garden plants. It goes well with flowering perennials like roses and chrysanthemums. IN landscape design Peony and barberry are often used together.

IN Alpine rollercoaster shrubs are planted next to thuja, juniper, heather and boxwood.

In mixborders, barberry's neighbors are hostas, echinaceas, bergenia and miscanthus. Dogwood and barberry are good to alternate in a hedge.

Methods for propagating barberry

All types of shrubs reproduce quite easily. The choice of one or another method depends on the variety of the mother plant and the climatic conditions of the region.

Seeds

Growing barberry from seeds is not suitable for hybrid varieties.

The fruits are harvested after they are fully ripe. There are two ways to sow.

For autumn sowing the seeds are not cleaned of pulp, and the berries themselves are immediately lowered into the ground, to a depth of 3 cm.

From above, the soil is covered with mulch. With the advent of the thaw, the plantings are covered with a film until the sprouts appear.

For spring sowing, barberry seeds must be pre-treated. After harvesting, the berries are passed through a sieve and washed.

Then the seed is soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. On last stage the bones are well dried on a napkin.

Prepared seeds overwinter in the refrigerator. They are immersed in sand or wet sphagnum moss. In March, the seeds are sown on the windowsill in the traditional way.

For the first few years, the crop is grown in room conditions. Young plants can be transferred to the site two years after germination.

Cuttings

Propagation of barberry in this way is suitable for all climatic zones.

Cuttings are carried out in the summer, in the early hours, until the dew has dried.

For work, you will need annual growths 15 cm long. The bark on such shoots does not have time to become woody.

It is necessary to make an oblique cut under the kidney. Leaves and spines are removed.

Cuttings take root in a covered greenhouse with nutritious soil.

The material is buried 2–3 cm. The plantings are watered from a watering can with a diffuser. room temperature.

Full roots are formed at the end of September. The seedlings are dug up and sent to open ground for growing.

After a year, the strengthened plant can be planted in a permanent place.

Layerings

A full-fledged barberry bush can be obtained with the help of several annual shoots.

This is an ideal way to propagate rare varieties.

Long and straight branches are suitable for work.

The ground around the bush is first dug up, loosened and watered abundantly.

The shoots are bent to the ground and pinned with iron staples. Then this place is covered with earth, leaving the top of the branch.

In autumn, rooted shoots are dug up and separated from the mother plant. The young shoot is planted in open ground for the winter.

The division of the bush

The method is suitable for low-growing and dwarf varieties. An adult bush is dug up in the spring, before the buds open.

It is carefully divided using garden tools, and the sections are treated with charcoal. Barberry is transplanted immediately to a permanent place.

How to care for barberry on the site

Caring for barberry is not much different from caring for other ornamental shrubs.

For a rich shade of foliage, sunlight, watering and fertilizing are required.

Watering, weeding and loosening the soil

A newly planted plant is watered once every 10 days.

The root system of adult barberry is deep and branched, so the bushes do not require systematic watering.

During the dry period of summer, water at room temperature is added to trunk circle from a watering can without a nozzle.

Weeds are removed as they grow. The soil around the bush is loosened a few days after watering.

This procedure must not be neglected, otherwise the root system will not receive required amount oxygen.

Fertilizer application

In spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied under the bushes. To do this, 30 g of urea is dissolved in 10 liters of water. This feeding will give impetus to the development of green mass.

During the flowering period, barberry in the garden is responsive to organic matter. Humus or diluted manure works well.

Mineral fertilizers are applied in early autumn. Granules of superphosphate or potassium sulfate will help the shrub survive the winter.

Proper pruning

Trimming dry branches and thickened shoots is necessary for the proper development of barberry. This type of pruning can be done at any time.

Barberry pruning for the purpose of formation is carried out in the fall, before the onset of the first frost.

It is necessary to set the shape of the crown during the first trimming, then all subsequent procedures will be easier.

In the second year of life, a third of all green mass is removed from a hedge.

Low-growing and compact dwarf varieties do not need to be formed.

Wintering barberry

Most varieties withstand the Russian winter without additional shelter.

The exception is evergreen plants; their annual growth is killed by the cold.

In warm regions, barberry retains berries on the bushes in winter, which gives it additional decorative value.

Heat-loving varieties are covered with spruce branches as soon as the temperature drops to -10˚C.

Very young bushes can be wrapped in spunbond.

With the arrival of low temperatures, the bushes are additionally covered with a thick layer of snow.

Barberry begins to grow in early spring, so it is important to remove the cover in time.

How to deal with pests and diseases of barberry

Prolonged rains, cold weather and errors in agricultural technology lead to various ailments. The barberry bush is susceptible to powdery mildew.

Under its influence, the leaves become covered with a gray coating, which spreads to the thorns and berries.

At the first signs of infection, the plantings are sprayed with the preparations “Skor”, “Topaz”, “Fundazol”.

The cause of rust on the leaves is a fungus that gets onto the bushes from nearby plantings. cereal crops.

In advanced forms of the disease, the plant may die. Bushes are treated against fungus with a solution Bordeaux mixture, “Oxychom”, “Ordan”.

A common disease is bacteriosis. Infected plants become covered with cracks.

Both individual branches and the whole bush can die. Some types of bacteriosis lead to neoplasms. The drugs “Fitolavin” and “Gamair” are used as prophylaxis.

The most dangerous insect is the barberry aphid. Because of it, young foliage grows asymmetrical and wrinkled.

When decorating a site with ornamental shrubs, it is easy to get lost in their huge number. A win-win option is considered to be a universal plant - barberry, characterized by a variety of colors of leaves and flowers of various shapes and sizes. This allows you to fulfill all your fantasies and create a unique composition. When deciding to acquire barberry, you need to become familiar with planting and caring for the shrub.

Many gardeners choose barberry because:

1. The bush serves as an accent in creating landscape composition. He is dropped off as bright element in the garden, which looks impressive both near coniferous plantings and in a single planting.
2. The fruits of barberry, endowed with a sour taste, are actively used in cooking for the preparation of compotes, seasonings, and marinades.
3. The beneficial properties of the plant are widely used in pharmacology; they are made from fruits, roots, and stems. medicinal tinctures, teas, tablets and ointments.
4. Traditional healers, knowing the characteristics of barberry, use it as a weapon against many diseases.

Thanks to this list of benefits, barberry is well known to gardeners all over the world.

Description and characteristics

Barberry belongs to the genus Berberis shrubs and to the Barberry family. The species characteristics of the crop differ in the color of the foliage, shape and size of the plant.

Bush

Barberry is a prickly branched tree-like shrub, growing up to 2 m in height, with powerful roots and simple, sometimes leathery foliage 3-4 cm long, collected in bunches, alternately placed on flexible stems. They are ovoid or elliptical in shape.

The value of the plant is that the color of the leaves can be different: light and dark green, purple, reddish-brown, violet, yellow. The bark is light brown on the outside, dark yellow on the inside. The shoots of the plant are erect, yellowish, and over time acquire a whitish-gray color. Shoots and trunks are covered with thorns, appearance resembling tridents.

Flowering and fruiting

The flowers of the plant are bisexual, solitary or in inflorescences, bloom in the last ten days of May - early June, pollinated by bees. The fruits of barberry attract attention, ripening in September and October, attracting attention with their bright red color and having 1-5 oblong seeds.

Habitat

Barberry loves to settle in the Transcaucasus, Southern and Eastern Europe, Siberia, and the Urals in dry, light areas near forests and on mountain slopes. The plant is found in central Russia, in southern Europe, in the Crimea.

What conditions does the plant require

When growing barberry in the country, you should take into account both the climatic and weather conditions in which it will grow, and know its main characteristics, namely the requirements for lighting, fertility and acidity, and moisture requirements.

Optimal climatic conditions

Suitable areas for cultivation are regions with a mild climate. Barberry is an unpretentious plant. At correct landing and care, it tolerates both winter cold and summer heat well, and can take root even on poor soil.

Illumination of the area

All types of barberry are photophilous and thrive in partial shade, although the foliage under such conditions will not have a beautiful purple color. Shading also has a negative impact on productivity and taste qualities fruits of the crop.

Suitable soil composition

Barberry loves neutral soil. The soil mixture should contain sand, humus, and garden soil. Medium acidic soil is suitable for barberry. If there is soil with a high acidity level (more than 7.0 pH), it is necessary to add slaked lime to the soil before and after planting.

It is important to consider that close proximity to groundwater can cause root rot.

Favorable and Undesirable Neighbors

Coniferous plantations are considered the best neighbors for barberry. Amazing compositions are obtained by combining different shrubs, garden flowers and dwarf tree varieties.

A bad decision would be to plant barberry near fruit trees, namely apple trees, pears, plums.

These crops take all the nutrients from the soil, preventing the barberry bush from feeding on microelements. They also shade barberry, blocking its full development.

Planting barberry in open ground

Planting barberry in open ground is not difficult; it does not require much effort. It is important to properly prepare the site and planting pit, as well as seedlings, and know the timing and layout of plantings.

Preparing the site and planting hole

To make barberry happy beautiful view, and care and cultivation did not cause any trouble, the following activities should be carried out on the site before planting:

1. Remove weed plants.
2. Dig up the soil.
3. Fertilize the soil, taking into account its fertility and acidity.

A hole for planting should be dug first, measuring 40 x 40 x 40 cm. Place drainage at the bottom, then add sand, turf soil combined with compost, add 200 g of superphosphate, 100 g of potassium sulfate and some minerals. If the acidity level is high, add 400 g of lime and 200 g of wood ash.

Preparing a seedling

When buying a seedling without a container, you need to immediately plant it in the ground, otherwise the plant will wither.

Planting layouts

Barberry is capable of growing quickly, so holes should be made further away, 1.5-2 m apart from each other. When creating a hedge, plant seedlings, keeping a distance of 30-40 cm between planting units.

Timing and process of planting

Planting of seedlings should be carried out both in spring (late March - early April) and autumn (mid-September - early October).

Landing algorithm:

1. Plant the seedlings in the holes so that the neck is underground at a depth of 3-4 cm.
2. Water the plantings thoroughly using warm water.
3. Mulch the soil near the trunk with sawdust and leaves.

Advice! After planting, cut off the top of the seedling, leaving 3-4 developed buds. This will help the plant endure the planting process more easily and quickly grow into a bush and decorate the summer cottage.

How to care for a plant

Properly organized care for barberry, taking into account its biological features and assigned tasks that will help him maintain vitality and strength for a long period.

Watering

In summer, watering barberry is not recommended if the amount of precipitation is favorable; only in extreme heat and drought is it necessary to regularly moisten the soil warm water under the root, trying not to get on the foliage. Newly planted bushes need to be watered frequently until they take root, and in August, when the fruits are filled with juice.

Top dressing

You should start feeding barberry from the 2nd year after planting once every 3 years. In the spring, saturate with nitrogen fertilizers by diluting 20-30 g of urea in 10 liters of water per 1 plant. This procedure will provoke intensive growth, the formation of foliage and stems. In the fall, to ensure abundant flowering and massive fruiting, fertilize with phosphorus and potassium, using superphosphate in the amount of 15 g and potassium salt - 10 g per plant.

Weed control

Care also involves active weed control. To do this, carry out weeding several times a season, destroying all weeds that have a detrimental effect on the development of barberry and take away the life-giving moisture and necessary nutrition from the grown ornamental plant.

Loosening and mulching the soil

An event such as loosening removes excess moisture and saturates the soil with oxygen. After weeding, it is recommended to mulch the soil with peat, sawdust, and tree bark. This will reduce the number of waterings, loosening and prevent the spread of weeds.

Diseases and pests: preventive and therapeutic treatments

Dangerous pests that have taken a liking to the plant are the barberry aphid, which damages the foliage, and the moth, whose larvae destroy the tasty berries.

For prevention purposes, you should adhere to the following basic rules:

1. When planting a plant, maintain a distance between the bushes, following the recommendations of agricultural technicians on the location of plants.
2. Take care of regular and moderate ventilation, and also avoid drying out the barberry measles system.
3. Systematically add organic matter and mineral elements that increase resistance to viruses and aggressors.
4. Carry out sanitary pruning in spring and autumn to prevent insect larvae from multiplying in the bark of dead shoots.
5. Constantly inspect the bushes of the plant and promptly take action when detecting the first symptoms of diseases or pests.

Important! Identifying the disease at the initial stage means saving the barberry bush as soon as possible.

Crown formation

Pruning barberry is the most useful activity that the plant requires. When pruning, you need to follow a number of rules:

1. Prune in spring before the first buds form.
2. Remove stems affected by pests using special tools to avoid subsequent infection of the plant. Upon completion of work, burn the infected parts.
3. If barberry serves as hedge, trim it 2 years after planting, removing 2/3 of the bush at the beginning and end of the summer period.
4. The plant can be given different shapes, not limited to the choice of geometric shapes.
5. Barberry aged 10 years or more requires regular anti-aging pruning, which consists of removing old shoots to the very base of the plant.

By applying these rules in practice, you can diversify the design of the site and give it originality.

Preparing the bush for wintering

In order for barberry to survive the winter safely and grow well next year and delight with amazing flowering, you need to take care of the plant in the fall. First, tidy up the area around the bush. This work includes:

• removing debris and digging up soil;
• fertilizing using compost;
• carrying out sanitary pruning;
• mulching using loose peat.

Young barberry bushes at the age of 5 years are afraid of cold weather, so cover them with spruce branches before frost. Tie the thorny bush with a rope, construct a box around it, pour dry leaves into it, and wrap it on top using agrofibre.

Reproduction methods

There are several options for breeding barberry: germinate from seeds, by taking cuttings, by rooting side shoots, or by disconnecting the mother bush.

Seeds

To get a spectacular bush from small seeds, you need to select ripe, large fruits and remove the seeds from the pulp. Then wash them using running water, and treated with a weak manganese solution and dried.

Sowing seeds in the fall in nutrient soil in furrows to a depth of 1 cm. During wintering under the snow, the seeds will become stronger and will boast friendly shoots in the spring.

They need to be thinned out, leaving the largest seedlings. For the next season, plants can be planted in a designated place in the garden.

Cuttings

The favorable time for cuttings is July, morning hours. To do this, cut cuttings 15 cm long from the side branches. Remove the lower leaves, treat the bases using a stimulator for root formation, and plant them in a soil mixture containing peat, sand, and cover with film. When the cuttings take root and begin to grow, they should be planted in containers filled with moist, loose soil with added minerals. Next year the plant will be planted on the site.

By layering

To propagate barberry by layering, select a strong one-year-old shoot, bend it to the ground and cover it with soil mixture, with only its tip peeking out from under the ground. At the end of the season, when the cuttings have formed roots, they must be carefully separated from the bush and replanted.

Dividing the bush

The method requires the following steps: dig a healthy mother bush out of the ground and divide it into parts using a sharp knife. If the roots of barberry are characterized by power and size, then carefully cut them and plant them in holes with moist soil.

Popular varieties and types

There are approximately 175 varieties of barberry, each with its own characteristics. Garden plots decorated with the following types.

Ottawa

An elegant barberry 2 m high. The foliage has a purple, and in the fall it takes on a crimson hue. The species is popular due to its yellow flowers with a reddish tint, collected in clusters of 8-10 pieces. Flowering occurs at the end of May. The fruits have a dark red hue.

Thunberg

The species is presented as a beautiful deciduous plant 1.5 m in height. The foliage shows off a yellow or red color in spring and summer and turns brown with the arrival of autumn. Yellow flowers framed with a red border. Barberry flowering lasts only 8-12 days.

Ordinary

A branched plant characterized by brown-gray shoots and elliptical, thin, membranous foliage, which is dark green above and gray-green below. Thanks to its brilliant, honey-scented flowers with a yellow tint, collected in racemes about 6 cm long, it is popular among gardeners. Barberry blooms for 13-20 days. After which the bushes are decorated with numerous fruits that have a bright red hue.

Red

The uniqueness of this type of barberry is that it pleases with its red-purple color of foliage throughout the growing season, and not just in autumn. The color of the leaf blade depends on the variety; it can be completely red or decorate only the outer edge.

It's starting to lose its color.

Barberry – decorative and fruit bush, barberry berries are living candies: they cool, sweeten and sour, in addition, they are used to make jams, preserves, compotes and tinctures. Juice from barberry berries has pronounced antibacterial and antipyretic properties. Barberry leaves are used for marinades; their infusion can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the biliary tract and liver.

Types of barberry: diversity and attractiveness

Despite the fact that the barberry bush is quite a long-standing and well-known “guest” in our front gardens, it is now experiencing a new surge of interest in itself. Today, a wide variety of varieties of barberry have appeared: creeping forms are used to strengthen and camouflage slopes, pyramidal types are used to create coolers, and individual specimens with bright leaves are used for solitary plantings.

Of more than 170 types, we present the most popular:

• common barberry - a branched shrub growing up to 3 m in height. The shoots are erect, abundantly strewn with thorns, the leaves are saturated green colors. The flowers are bright yellow, collected in racemes, with a delicate honey aroma. In the first year the branches are yellow or yellowish-purple, which in the second year change color to greyish -white. Fruiting is abundant, annual, the berries are bright red, edible, although species with yellow and even white fruits are cultivated. The species is perfectly adapted to urban conditions, tolerates numerous prunings, and is very frost-resistant. Undemanding to soil, not picky about lighting conditions, although it develops better in good lighting
• barberry thunberg – a low (up to 1 m) deciduous shrub that thrives in a polluted atmosphere modern metropolis. Drought-resistant, not picky about soil composition. The leaves are small, oblong, graceful, reach a length of up to 3 cm, bright green, the lower part is glaucous, in the fall they change color to bright red, yellow, orange and even violet. Young shoots have an attractive color - purple-red, yellowish or bright red; with age they become brown or purple-brown.

• The branches are abundantly covered with hard (about 1 cm) thorns, so in landscape design this species is often used to create impassable hedges. And since the bush easily tolerates pruning, it is easy to maintain them correct form. In addition, it is often used in Japanese and stone, on the banks reservoirs, in landscape compositions. Flowering lasts 8-12 days, the flowers are single, reddish outside, yellow inside. In autumn, impressive-looking fruits appear - elliptical in shape, coral-red, shiny, but at the same time absolutely inedible

• barberry Maria - one of the many varieties of Thunberg barberry, with a dense columnar crown reaching a width of 50 cm. Shoots are straight, vertical, low-branched, can reach a height of 90-100 cm. Leaves are golden yellow, with a carmine-red border along the edges, in autumn they acquire an expressive bright orange-red color

• barberry orange – presented in two varieties. Orange Rocket attracts with its bright two-tone color - young leaves and shoots are orange, which “with age” become beet color, and with the onset of autumn they change color to red. Orange Dream is a low shrub with a spreading crown. It is especially good in the fall - its leaves turn bright red and do not fall off until frost. The bush is “blazing”, diluting the grayness of the pre-winter garden

• barberry golden – will become a bright spot of sunshine on your site. This is a small (up to 50 cm in height, crown diameter does not exceed 1 m) bush with a cushion-shaped dense crown that remains attractive throughout the growing season. The color of the leaves depends on the degree of illumination and ranges from light green to golden yellow. Differs in very insignificant annual growth

• barberry Atropurpurea – a medium-tall (1.5-1.8 meters) shrub that retains spectacular, richly colored purple red-brown leaves throughout the season. Flowering occurs at the beginning of June and lasts, on average, 12 days. Propagates well - rooting of summer cuttings is almost 100%, seed germination is 90%

• barberry superba – quite large (can reach 4 m in height and diameter) ornamental shrub. In summer the leaves are dark red, with a bluish bloom, change color to orange and bright red in the fall. The bright red berries that ripen in September and are densely distributed throughout the bush also add to the attractiveness of the bush. Flowering occurs in May, the flowers are red-yellow, collected in racemose inflorescences up to 5 cm long

• barberry rocket - a purple-leaved columnar variety with vertical shoots and short branches. Leaves are red-brown. Looks impressive when planted alone against a backdrop of bright greenery.

• barberry ed – red-leaved varieties of barberries, which include Red Chief, Red Pillar, Red Carpet, etc.

Barberry: planting and care

Despite the variety of barberry species and their differences, they all require the same planting and care conditions. First of all, you should take care of the illumination of the area - in order to get bright foliage saturated flowers, barberry should receive enough Sveta. In partial shade, the brightness of color and varietal characteristics begin to be lost, all leaves acquire a greenish tint. The exception is the yellow barberry "Aurea", the leaves of which can burn in the sun, so it is preferable to choose partial shade for it.

The soil

The two main requirements are good drainage (barberry does not tolerate stagnant water) and soil of normal acidity. On peaty acidic soils, liming will be required - when planting under a bush, add 300-400 g of lime and 200 g of wood ash. It doesn’t hurt to add sand - this will improve aeration.

Advice! To obtain a hedge, barberry is planted at the rate of 2 bushes per linear meter. When planting alone, maintain a distance of at least 2 m between bushes.

Care

Barberry needs constant loosening (weeding) of the soil under the bushes - this will improve the structure of the soil and its aeration, and protect it from waterlogging. Under the crown, you can mulch the soil - with sawdust, peat, etc.

Advice! Since barberry is cross-pollinated, to obtain berries it is necessary to plant several bushes nearby.

Top dressing

Barberries are fertilized in the spring in the second year after planting, adding nitrogen fertilizers - 25-30 g of urea per bucket of water. The next feeding is carried out only after 3-4 years

Watering

The barberry bush does not need frequent watering; the moisture obtained from natural precipitation will be enough for it. In case of severe drought, it is recommended to water once a week with warm water, directing the stream strictly to the root.

Trimming

Quite a troublesome operation, primarily due to the abundance of thorns. In the spring, after wintering, they carry out sanitary pruning - remove all frozen, broken, damaged, diseased, dry and weak shoots, treating the cut areas with garden varnish. It is worth remembering that flowering and fruit formation in barberry occurs on 2-year-old branches, which after fruiting can be pruned until the cold weather. When creating hedges, bushes are pruned starting from the 2nd year of planting. Barberry low-growing varieties practically does not need pruning, with the exception of diseased and dried branches.

For designing rock gardens, planting hedges or other decorative forms You will need strong and healthy barberry seedlings. You can purchase them in specialized stores. It's fast, but expensive. For large-scale plantings, it is better to obtain seedlings in other ways.

1. Seeds

The easiest and most affordable way. Collect well-ripened berries and remove the seeds. Rinse in warm water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If seeds are planted in the fall, they can be treated with growth regulators. If you plan to sow in spring, the seeds should be kept in a cool place (perhaps on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator).

For planting, the soil is dug up directly in the garden, and the seeds are sown in rows. The seeds have a low germination rate. Statistically, no more than three out of 10 seeds will sprout, so don’t be afraid to thicken the plantings. Autumn seeds will sprout in spring. Seedlings need to be given time to grow well and become stronger. In one and a half, two years they will make good planting material.

2. Cuttings

For cuttings, choose healthy annual branches, the lower part of which is already woody. Cut into sizes from 10 to 15 cm. The bottom cut should be made at an angle. Select branches with 3-4 internodes.

Prepared cuttings are soaked in a growth accelerator and phytohormones are used.

Planted in a mixture of sand (1 part) and peat (2 parts). Rooting occurs at home or in a greenhouse. Plantings must be covered. Cuttings require constant monitoring. They are ventilated, watered and sprayed with water if necessary, and the soil is constantly loosened. A sign that the cuttings have taken root will be the appearance of new leaves. Now the cuttings are hardened off and prepared for transplanting to a permanent location.

3. Layerings

Reproduction by layering is a method accessible even to beginners. Choose a bush that is suitable for propagation. Clean and loosen the tree trunk circle. They find annual, well-woody branches. Small trenches are dug in the direction of growth of these branches. Selected branches are placed in them and pinned (you can use wire bent in half).

The whole procedure is done in the spring. During the summer, water and remove weeds. In the fall, roots will appear, new seedlings are ready. Don’t rush to plant them, let them overwinter and get stronger.

The most painful and dangerous method for the plant. The plant is dug up, cut into pieces and planted in a permanent place. If you do not divide the bush correctly, you can lose the entire plant. Leave this method as a last resort and try to obtain planting material in other ways.

Rules for planting barberry

After the seedlings are grown, we proceed to planting young plants in a permanent place.

Barberry adapts well to any conditions and soils. But still there are some rules for planting.

1. The plant cannot develop well in soils with high acidity. If you know for sure that the soil on your site is acidic, be sure to take measures to neutralize it. This is not difficult to do. You just need to add slaked lime to the ground.
2. For planting, choose well-lit places, poor lighting Some varieties lose their decorative coloring.
3. When planting barberry seedlings, keep in mind that they grow in width. Give them enough space to do this.

Planting a single plant

To plant a single plant purchased in a store, you must choose a place no closer than two or three meters from other plants. You need to dig a hole larger than the earthen ball of the plant itself.

It is advisable to prepare a nutritional composition from turf soil, peat, humus, taken in a ratio of 2:1:1. Water the seedling well and carefully remove it from the container, being careful not to damage the root system.

Carefully examine the plant; if you notice damage or rotting of the roots, remove this area. If there are no special preparations, treat the cut area with a solution of potassium permanganate and dust with activated carbon.

Important! Do not bury the growing point when planting. This will slow down the growth, flowering, fruiting of the plant, and may lead to its death.

After planting, water the barberry well and if the weather is very hot and dry, make a small shelter. After the plant has taken root, the shelter must be removed. Seedlings purchased in containers take root faster and better.

If you need to plant a seedling with an open root system, straighten the roots well in the hole, this will speed up the establishment of the plant. Such a seedling will require more attention, and its rooting time will be longer.

Planting a hedge

When planting seedlings for growing hedges or other ornamental plantings, two-year-old rooted cuttings or seedlings grown from seeds are used. For these purposes, dig a trench of the required shape. If the soil is not fertile enough, prepare a nutrient mixture and lay it at the bottom of a trench, the width of which should be at least 45-50 cm. When planting, carefully monitor the depth of the plant. Remember the growth point. After planting, the plantings must be well watered and protected from direct sunlight.

Caring for barberry plants

With all its unpretentiousness, in order to grow healthy and beautiful plant good care must be provided. It is better to plant evergreen plants in partial shade, and deciduous plants where there is more light. Otherwise, the color of the leaves may change, and their beauty and attractiveness will disappear.

Diseases and pests

Compared to others ornamental plants barberry is less susceptible to disease. Under unfavorable conditions, it is affected by fungal diseases.

The causative agent of the disease is a fungus of the microsphere genus. Fungi of this species infect only one plant - barberry. The disease develops, gradually affecting the leaves, then moves to the stems. Sick plants seem to be “sprinkled with flour.” Powdery coating is noticeable on both sides of the leaf. Formed and matured spores remain on the plant throughout the winter. In the spring, infection of the plant will continue.

2. Rust.

If in the spring, when examining the plant, you notice spots on young leaves orange color, turn the sheet over and look at it reverse side. Is the leaf affected by bulges? Your plant has become a haven for rust fungus. And the convex growths are repositories of hundreds and thousands of spores that are ready to infect both cultivated and wild cereals. However, fungi use barberry not only as an intermediate host, but also harm the plant itself. If the infection is severe, the plant may die.

Spotting can be caused by various pathogens. By attacking the plant, they weaken it. They disrupt vital processes. Sick plants cannot prepare well enough for winter. Young seedlings may die, adult plants freeze severely. Signs of the disease - spots various shapes and size, drying of young shoots.

4. Wilting plant. Fungi, the causative agents of this disease, are found in contaminated soil. Through the roots of the plant they enter the branches and leaves, thus affecting the entire plant. The virus is very insidious. Causes rotting of roots, wilting of leaves, death of young shoots. An infected plant is very difficult to save.

5. Drying of shoots. The pathogens infect the bark of plants. When spores fall on a plant, they penetrate under the bark and quickly develop to form entire colonies. The plant begins to dry out. If you carry out sanitary pruning in time, barberry can be saved.

6. Bacteriosis. It is also called plant cancer. When infected with this dangerous virus, the plant becomes covered with cracks and growths. Affected leaves, petioles, and young shoots become covered with brown spots. Leaves die quickly. For unknown reasons, the disease does not affect barberry flowers and berries.

The most dangerous pests are the barberry aphid and the flower moth. Barberry aphids can spread very quickly on a plant. Sucking the juice from leaves and young shoots, it leads to their death. Flower moth larvae eat barberry berries.

Complex preparations are used to combat diseases and pests. Treatment is carried out as necessary 1 - 3 times per season.

Important! Timely preventive measures will help get rid of problems with diseases and pests.

In addition to treatment with special preparations, it is necessary to regularly control weeds, remove and destroy fallen leaves in the fall, promptly inspect and sanitization plants, then your barberries will bring you only joy.

Video - Planting barberry

Video - Features of barberry thunberg. Barberry care