Barberry bushes look very decorative not only in summer. The cultural forms of this shrub are very diverse and unpretentious. Its plantings are often used as a hedge, given that barberry easily tolerates cutting and pruning. A particularly valuable quality of this shrub is its unpretentiousness to growing and care conditions.
Barberry is a beautiful plant that can decorate any garden or play the role of a reliable hedge. About 500 species of this plant grow in nature. Varieties of barberry differ in the height of the bush, the color of the leaves and fruits (yellow, purple, red), size, color and number of flowers.
Unlike Thunberg and monetolifolia, which are decorative varieties, common barberry is grown primarily for its berries. They are used to prepare various preparations for the winter, liqueurs, marshmallows. Berries are added to pilaf, marinades, fried vegetables Central Asia and the countries of the Caucasus.
The benefits of the berries of this shrub are obvious - high content vitamins (E, C, A and various groups B), organic acids (citric, malic and tartaric) and a complex of mineral compounds.
Unripe barberry berries cannot be eaten - they are poisonous!
From a small seed you can grow beautiful bush at home. However, you should prepare for difficulties in advance:
- germination percentage very short (from 20% to 40%),
- the process is long(requires seed stratification),
- the seedling will be ready to transfer to permanent place only in 2-3 years,
- to get berries vaccination will be required.
Barberry can also reproduce by self-sowing from berries that fall in the fall.
A lone barberry bush, with the most careful care, will not please you with a harvest. This shrub is one of the plants that require cross-pollination of flowers. For successful formation of ovaries, it is necessary to have several bushes on the site. Take care of this right away.
How to grow barberry from seed at home?
Let's take a closer look at how to do this correctly.
It is necessary to select the ripest berries, separate them from the pulp, rinse in running water. Then these seeds must be disinfected, soak for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, rinse and dry.
Seeds can be immediately planted in loose soil, cleared of weeds, in furrows no more than 3 centimeters deep. During the winter, under the snow, the seeds will harden and germinate in the spring.
You can do otherwise if you were unable to plant seeds in the fall:
- Disinfected seeds mix with damp (attention - not wet) sand and keep them at a temperature of +3°C until spring, on the vegetable shelf of the refrigerator.
- In April they plant it in the garden.
- When two true leaves appear - seedlings are thinned out. Weak seedlings are removed and the strongest ones are left.
The distance between seedlings is at least 3 centimeters.
- Before planting in a permanent place it is better to grow seedlings another year in this “school” (a bed for very young plants, which you carefully care for and control).
- Fruits on seedlings will appear only after two years, but he still has to be vaccinated.
- Barberry transplant V open ground.
Barberry is common in central and southern Russia, in the North Caucasus and the Black Sea coast, in Western and Eastern Siberia, the Moscow region and the Urals, where they feel quite well on rocky soil and without any care. The cultivated forms of the shrub are also very unpretentious:
- For a young plant prepare a planting hole no larger than 50x50 centimeters in size(this is even with a reserve).
- Half hole fill with compost or humus (about a bucket).
- Preferably add lime for additional soil deoxidation (up to 0.5 kg).
- Add approx. half a bucket of regular sand- this will increase the supply of oxygen to the roots.
- All mix thoroughly so as not to burn the roots.
- Having installed the seedling in the planting hole, sprinkle the roots with soil and water well.
- Mulch with peat, compost or rotted sawdust.
- Last thing, cut off the top of the plant, leaving 3-4 well-developed buds - this way the plant tolerates replanting more easily and grows as a bush faster.
Like most garden plants, barberry can be replanted twice:
- in autumn- until the end of October,
- in the spring- until the end of April.
Care after landing
All varieties of barberry are grown the same way - whether you have ornamental Thunberg barberry or common barberry.
- timely watering,
- feeding
- weed removal,
- pruning in spring before buds open and in late autumn.
Conveniently, barberry is fed only once every few years according to a standard schedule.:
- nitrogen- only in the spring,
- potassium-phosphorus- in the fall.
How to prune barberry in autumn
No trimming barberry bush easily reaches a height of 3 meters. This light-loving thorny shrub can not only serve as a hedge, but also annually produce a harvest of very useful berries.
But this is only possible:
- if the bush grows well bright place,
- has not too thickened crown,
- pollinators grow nearby- a few more barberry bushes.
And pruning bushes is one of the main conditions for fruiting.
Sanitary pruning
The bush forms impenetrable thickets very quickly. Pruning not only creates a beautiful plant shape. By cutting out broken, dry, old branches, you rejuvenate the bush.
Fortunately, this kind garden shrub practically not susceptible to fungal diseases. Thickened barberry bushes may turn out to be an intermediate link - fungi will find shelter in its thickets, and when favorable conditions spread to neighbors.
That's why, All branches that are too thin and strongly thicken the bush must also be removed.. This improves the ventilation of the bush space. It is enough to carry out such pruning twice a year.
Formative pruning
Forming a barberry bush is not particularly difficult. Just it is necessary to remove all branches growing inside the bush- they will certainly create excessive thickening of the crown. Such a dense bush will definitely not bear fruit.
If your barberry is part of a hedge, then the number of branches will be in the dozens. In this case, remove only dry and damaged branches. In fact, only sanitary pruning is carried out.
Decorative bushes You can trim with garden shears or special trimmers, giving barberry plantings a wide variety of shapes.
Bush rejuvenation
The main thing to remember when rejuvenating barberry bushes is: This plant produces flowers and fruits mainly on annual growths. It follows from this that if the branches are severely shortened, one should not count on a harvest (this technique is only suitable for decorative forms of barberry).
For rejuvenation of fruit forms:
- or cut out an old branch to the base and in its place a young one is formed,
- or by pruning transfer growth to a branch.
Although barberry is not afraid of haircuts and pruning, do not get carried away with severe shortening of the branches - you will be left without flowers and berries.
Preparing for winter in Siberia, the Moscow region and the Urals
With the arrival of autumn, it is time to transplant young seedlings of bushes from the “shkolka” to a permanent place, or sow seeds into the “shkolka” to grow new plants.
It is necessary to restore order in tree trunk circles:
- remove various debris and dig up the soil under the bushes,
- feed the plants humus or compost,
- carry out sanitary pruning,
- trim for rejuvenation if necessary.
Before the onset of cold weather, tree trunk circles must be mulch with loose peat, compost or dried leaves.
Only very young bushes (up to 5 years of age) are very sensitive to winter cold - their need to be covered when the first frost sets in. The easiest way is to cover it with spruce branches, this is especially true for evergreen barberry varieties.
Large bushes must be tied with rope or twine in front of the shelter. A lattice box is installed around it, where dry leaves are filled to the top, and wrapped on top non-woven material(for example, agrofibre),
This applies to winter insulation of any garden crops. You should not rush to cover the plants - it is better to be a little late than to do it too early. A hermetically sealed space (covering with film) is especially dangerous for wintering heat-loving crops. During a thaw, condensation forms under the film, which will definitely destroy the bush with the onset of frost.
Reproduction of barberry and planting in open ground
Except seed method propagation of barberry, seedlings of this bush can be obtained much faster using vegetative methods. The main advantages of such reproduction:
- you receive a ready-made seedling in one season,
- the varietal properties of the plant are completely preserved - no vaccination needed.
How to propagate barberry in the country?
Cuttings
The cutting method allows you to get very a large number of seedlings per year and without vaccinations. However, without the use of heteroauxin or other root growth stimulants, barberry cuttings proceed very slowly.
- Early summer (June) annual lateral branches are cut into cuttings approximately 15 centimeters.
- The lower leaves are removed and treated according to instructions with a root growth stimulator.
- Cuttings prepared in this way planted in a mixture of humus, fertile soil, peat and sand (1:1:1:0.5).
- Install film shelter.
- Several times a day needs to be ventilated and spray the cuttings.
- Land as needed loosen and water.
- Take care of covering the “school” for the winter.
Next spring, the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place.
By layering
As layering from the lower parts of the bush, in the spring you choose strong annual branches.
- Bend them to the ground and place it in the grooves 15-20 centimeters depth.
- Fix the position of the branch wire bow or flyer branch.
- Cover with earth so that only one shoot tip remains on the surface.
In addition to watering, special care does not require layering. By autumn it will be ready for transplanting.
Dividing the bush
If you have a barberry bush that suits you in all respects, it can be divided into several. The best time for this is in the spring before the buds open..
- Carefully dig up the mother bush.
- Cut into pieces. Powerful roots are cut with a hacksaw.
- The division parts are planted in pre- prepared holes.
- Trim the bush to balance the above-ground part with the roots and improve the survival rate of the damaged plant.
Further care for the cut bush is no different.
Conclusion
Growing barberry in the garden is not at all difficult. Caring for this shrub is not difficult even for an amateur gardener. The plant is so unpretentious that it practically does not require fertilizing; any soil without stagnant water is suitable for it. Densely planted bushes will create a hedge that will add a touch of classic English parkland to your garden design.
10.06.2018
If you are looking for an interesting shrub for your garden that is easy to plant and care for, then be sure to consider barberry. It will perfectly complement the landscape due to its decorative qualities, and at the same time you will receive edible berries which can be used in cooking...
Place and soil
To plant barberry, you need a well-lit or slightly shaded area with fertile sandy and loamy soil. They prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.5, which is moderately acidic to neutral.
The soil needs to be fertilized and well drained. Barberry is quite tolerant of drought and copes well with dry rocky soils, but does not tolerate heavy clay soil and constant moisture.
Barberry bushes are often planted, usually along fences or along the border of a property as a hedge. Plants grown in full sun tend to produce more fruit and brighter colors.
Barberry is light-loving, drought- and frost-resistant. On moist soils it forms numerous root suckers.
Types and varieties of barberry - description with photos and names
There are more than 400 species of barberry plants. Many of them have sharp thorns, be sure to take this into account when growing bushes, especially if you have small children.
Among those introduced into culture, the following types are the most popular:
- ordinary;
- ordinary dark purple;
- centipede;
- Amur;
- Thunberg barberry.
Common barberry
Under natural conditions, common barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is common in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, and Crimea. This is a shrub up to 2.5 m high, with granular yellowish or yellowish-purple, later brownish-gray shoots.
The buds are sharp, glabrous, up to 1 mm long. The leaves are thin, membranous, elliptical, obovate, up to 4 cm long and 2 cm wide.
Inflorescences are racemose, yellow, up to 6 cm long.
The berries are bright red, sometimes yellowish-red, oblong, up to 12 mm long, sour.
Common barberry dark purple
This type of appearance It is easy to distinguish in the spring and summer by the color of the leaves, which become dark red, and the sepals become purple-red.
Barberry multi-legged, or multi-leaved
Grows in Central Asia. Belongs to the medium-sized group, reaches a height of 1.5–2 m, stands out for the bright, elegant color of its shoots - from red to red-brown as they age.
There are quite a lot of thorns. The flower clusters are small, compact, and bear from three to eight blue-purple fruits covered with a dense waxy coating. They are round, large, 11–13 mm long.
Barberry Amur
Amur barberry (Berberis amurensis) grows everywhere on Far East. It is a shrub up to 3.5 m high, with few branches, with erect and short lateral ribbed shoots.
The leaves are membranous, obovate, oblong, up to 10 cm long and 5 cm wide, finely toothed along the edges, matte above, bright green below.
The inflorescence is a raceme up to 10 cm long, consisting of 10–25 pale yellow flowers. The berries are bright red, elliptical, 10 mm long.
Barberry Thunberg
Thunberg's barberry (Berberis thunbergii), or Japanese, is common in the Baltic states, Belarus and in the central regions middle zone Russia. It grows as a bush 1.5–2 m tall, with beautiful decorative leaves and dense, compactly arranged branches, especially elegant in the fall: at this time the bushes seem to burn with a violet-carmine flame.
The plant is beautiful both in the spring, when yellow flowers with a red tint from the inside bloom, and in the summer, when the bright corals of the berries begin to turn red.
The fruits are elongated, elliptical, 10 mm long, collected in catchy bright clusters, but can also be single. In terms of decorativeness, Thunberg's barberry is not inferior to the best European varieties and forms of common barberry.
Growing barberry - propagation, planting and care in open ground
Unpretentiousness, hardiness, ease of planting and care are the reasons why people grow barberry. The above-ground part of the bush is well formed and tolerates cutting of branches.
How to propagate barberry
Barberry is propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering, dividing the bush, and grafting.
Propagation of barberry by seeds
The easiest way to propagate is to sow fresh seeds in the fall before the onset of frost in furrows to a depth of 1 cm.
Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, washed and dried.
Shoots appear in early summer. As soon as two true leaves are formed, the seedlings are thinned out so that there is a distance of at least 3 cm between them.
They are left to grow for another 2 years without replanting, after which the resulting seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place.
Reproduction of barberry by layering
To propagate by layering in the spring, the strongest annual shoots of plants are bent back, placed in grooves 3–5 cm deep and pressed along the entire length of the shoot with arches and covered with soil, leaving only the top with two or three upper buds. Water if necessary.
After 2-3 months, roots will form. When the shoots reach 10–12 cm in height, they are spudded.
In autumn or spring, seedlings are cut off from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
Propagation of barberry by cuttings
For propagation by cuttings in the spring, young shoots of barberry (with incomplete lignification) are selected from healthy plants no older than 10 years.
Cuttings with two or three internodes are cut and immediately immersed in a heteroauxin solution for 10–12 hours.
After rinsing the solution, the cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or open ground, watered and sprayed with warm water 2-3 times a day.
The cuttings planted in open ground are covered plastic bottle, shading her. After 20–30 days it takes root, and after another two months they can be planted in a permanent place.
For barberry cuttings, lignified cuttings (annual) are harvested in the spring around mid-April and stored at a temperature of about 0 °C. Timing of cuttings: at the end of May, after renewing the cut, the cuttings are ready for planting.
Dividing a barberry bush
The division of the bush is carried out in early spring or autumn. 3-5 year old plants with a loose crown are suitable for this, especially those planted with a depth of 10 cm.
The overgrown shrub is dug up and the branches are cut short with pruning shears and the root collar is cut into pieces so that each has roots and two or three shoots.
The wounds are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and the seedlings are transplanted to a new location. After 2 years, the plants are completely restored.
Planting barberry
Two-year-old seedlings or one-year-old seedlings are planted in a permanent place.
The timing of planting barberry is in the spring during the period after the soil thaws and before the buds begin to open, less often in the fall during the period of mass leaf fall.
- Plants should be positioned so that they receive maximum sun exposure. On garden plot 1-2 pieces are enough. When planting several bushes, the barberry planting pattern should be at least 1.5 x 1.5 meters.
- For hedges, plants are planted more densely - every 0.5–1 m.
How to plant barberry:
- For 2-3 year old bushes, prepare a planting hole with a depth and diameter of approximately 25-30 cm, for 5-7 year old bushes - 40-50 cm.
- The depression is filled with fertile substrate, consisting of equal parts of compost or humus and garden soil and sand.
- The seedling is planted with all its roots straightened, covered with soil and compacted well.
- Then they water, mulch (sprinkle) with peat or humus and cut the shoots to 3-4 developed buds.
Caring for barberry in open ground
When it comes to caring for barberry bushes, you will find that it is quite simple as they are unpretentious and only require regular watering during dry times, weeding, loosening the soil around the bushes and pruning old growth.
How to water barberry correctly
During the first summer after planting, if there is no precipitation, water the soil at the base of the barberry well with water every week.
Top dressing
An adult plant may suffer from a lack of microelements. Thus, with a lack of calcium on acidic soils, the leaves become faded, yellow-brown or brown, and the yield sharply decreases. Therefore, periodically (every 5–7 years) lime is added under the bush, and wood ash– annually in the amount of 300–500 g.
Barberry pruning
In the spring, before the buds begin to bloom, you need to cut off all weak and diseased shoots - new ones will soon grow in their place.
Sanitary pruning of barberry at fruiting age consists of thinning
- thickened branches;
- shoots lying on the ground;
- dry, diseased and poorly developed branches.
It is advisable to treat areas of large cuts with garden varnish.
Pruning barberry for the winter - video
Diseases and pests
Barberry is often affected by rust. In spring, spots appear on the leaves orange color- a symptom of the disease. If they are detected, spray with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture after the formation of leaves, the next one - 20 days later, and another one - 20 days after the previous one.
Do you have barberry growing on your property? If yes, then you are already at own experience We saw how easy it is to plant and care for it. If not, then plant it - you won’t regret it, you will succeed without much effort.
Barberry - planting and care, use of it beautiful plant for garden design is the topic of our conversation. Common barberry is an ornamental deciduous shrub that was grown back in Ancient Rome, Greece, monasteries of Tibet, Ancient Rus'. It was valued not so much for its high decorativeness, but for its most valuable healing properties berries In our time, barberry has become an ornamental and “caramel” plant.
Why caramel? If we lived in the Amazon jungle, we could become the owners of such wonderful plants as the milk tree, cabbage tree or chocolate tree. And if fate threw us into the African savannah, we would successfully grow a bottle tree, breadfruit or melon tree, while at the same time admiring the blooming flowers on a tulip tree.
However, having a wonderful and cozy corner native nature in our dacha or garden, we can easily afford to grow an equally exotic “caramel tree”. This is what the well-known barberry is often called, reminding us of carefree childhood times when we happily enjoyed the fragrant sweet-smelling caramel “barberries”.
Barberry - beneficial properties
Long before our era, barberry berries were used as effective remedy for rejuvenation, blood purification, treatment of many diseases. Mentions of this were found on clay tablets made by the ancient Assyrians.
The enormous value of barberry has now been scientifically proven. The set it contains useful substances is able to remove toxins, cleanse the body, slow down the aging process, restore damaged cells, cope with inflammatory processes in the body, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and resist atherosclerosis.
And this is just a small list of the healing benefits of the “caramel tree,” which can not only give us health, but also bring a piece of beauty, harmony and charm into our lives.
Barberry bush in the garden
In gardening and landscape design Barberry bushes have been used for a long time and quite successfully. This plant is spectacular at any time of the year, and can also bring tangible benefits to both you and your garden.
In spring, the aroma of blooming barberry will attract hardworking bees; in summer, bright greenery will delight the eye with its freshness; in autumn, a fantastic combination bright colors foliage will enliven a sad garden, and in winter, ruby drops of berries on a snow-white blanket of snow will remind you of the hot summer.
Thanks to its decorative properties, barberry looks great in single plantings, in compositions with other plants, and in hedges.
The bushes lend themselves well to shaping and pruning, and low-growing varieties are great for borders and decorate rock gardens. The variety of leaf colors allows you to create interesting color compositions, combining purple with greens, and variegated varieties with edged ones.
Care and planting of barberry
Despite its unique usefulness and high decorative value, barberry is completely unpretentious, and caring for it is not difficult.
Its only “whims” are good lighting and moderate soil moisture.
The composition and fertility of the soil, changes in temperature and humidity do not affect its decorative effect. If you still give him regular “haircuts,” then the grateful barberry will grow, bloom and bear fruit with truly royal generosity.
There are many ways to propagate barberry; you can always choose the one that is most convenient for you. Seeds, cuttings, dividing a bush, root layering, self-seeding, grafting - the entire arsenal of tools is at your disposal.
Propagation by seeds makes it possible to get a lot planting material, however, this is a rather lengthy process. It is better to sow seeds in winter, before the onset of severe frosts. For spring sowing, seed stratification is carried out for 3-4 months at a temperature not exceeding +5°C. The seedlings are left at the seedling site for 2 years, and then left for another 1-2 years to grow in the “school”. And only after that they are assigned to a permanent place. Most quick way reproduction - dividing the bush and root suckers. For cuttings, summer cuttings are taken and rooted in moist soil.
Do not forget that the older the barberry bush, the worse it adapts after transplantation.
Planting methods depend on the end goal. When placing a bush alone, the distance to the nearest plants is left at least 2 m.
Single row hedge usually includes 4 plants, two-row - 5. A free-growing hedge involves planting 2 plants per 1 linear meter.
Due to its unpretentiousness, barberry can grow in any soil with any acidity level. However, if possible, it is advisable to provide him with the most comfortable conditions by adding humus and sand to the soil mixture and liming the acidified soil.
One of the elements of care is fertilizing, which allows long time preserve the decorative appearance of the bushes and abundant fruiting. It is recommended to start fertilizing in the second year after planting. The first fertilizing is carried out in the spring with nitrogen fertilizers at the rate of 30 g of urea per 10 liters of water. In the future, it is enough to introduce complex mineral fertilizers once every 3 years.
Traditional watering, weeding and loosening are carried out once every 2 weeks, and immediately after planting new plants it is necessary to mulch the soil under them.
An important point in maintaining the decorative appearance of bushes is pruning. Hygienic pruning is carried out annually in the spring; all old, dried, weak and poorly developed shoots are removed. The shaping of hedges begins in the second year. With it, up to 2/3 of the above-ground part of the plant is initially removed, and in subsequent years in June and August, up to 1/2 of the height of the hedge is cut off.
Like all plants, barberry needs protection from pests and diseases. Its main enemies are barberry aphids, flower moths, powdery mildew and various fungal diseases.
As a preventative measure in the spring, it is necessary to treat with a solution of laundry soap prepared from 30 g of soap and 10 liters of water. If caterpillars are found, barberry bushes are treated with chlorophos or decis, according to the instructions.
To protect against fungal diseases, spraying with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or colloidal sulfur is considered effective; spraying is carried out in three stages: after the leaves appear, and then two more times with an interval of 20 days.
Many owners of garden plots and summer cottages plant shrubs with high decorative properties. One of them is barberry. Planting and caring for this shrub is not particularly difficult. The article discusses how to properly plant a purchased plant and care for it. Tips on propagating barberry and combating pests and diseases that affect it may also be useful.
Varieties and varieties of barberry
Barberry - spectacular ornamental plant with elongated fruits of bright red, yellow or white. It is unpretentious, drought-resistant and frost-resistant shrub with elliptical leaves of a wide variety of colors: green, yellow, red, purple. The berries of barberry are edible and widely used in cooking and medicine. They have a pleasant sour taste and are used for making compotes, jelly, jam, marshmallows, syrups, etc.
Barberry with ripe fruits
Due to the presence of many useful substances - apple, wine and citric acid, carotenoids, vitamins, mineral salts, fruits and leaves of the plant are used to make preparations:
- lowering blood pressure;
- having a bactericidal effect;
- preventing the development of lamblia in the human body;
- to stop bleeding;
- relieving fatigue;
- fight psoriasis.
Exists three main varieties of barberry, each of which has many varieties:
There are also types of barberry that have external signs similarities with common barberry:
- hybrid Provençal barberry, obtained by crossing ordinary and Siberian plant species;
- spinous, native to the Himalayas;
- barberries Zimbold, James, Diels.
Planting barberry
In order for the seedlings to develop well, bloom and bear fruit profusely, it is important to carefully consider the choice of planting site and soil preparation. For barberry, soil that has normal acidity is most suitable; if its pH is more than 7.0, it is recommended to add slaked lime before or during planting.
Barberry seedling
The optimal distance between bushes when planting alone is 1.5 m, when creating a hedge - 0.5 m. Barberry does not tolerate stagnant water, so it should be planted in the highest places of the site and the soil should be drained by adding sand to improve aeration of the plant's root system.
Attention! Despite its endurance and unpretentiousness, barberry is light-loving, when planted in the shade bright shades the colors of its leaves fade and may disappear decorative elements on the leaves for which this plant is especially valued: spots, stripes and other patterns.
Boarding order:
- Getting ready landing pit with sides 40 x 40 x 40 cm.
- A small layer of sand is placed at the bottom of the pit, then a mixture of turf soil with 8-10 kg of humus or compost. If organic fertilizers are absent, instead you can use mineral ones (200 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potassium sulfate). If the soil pH is high (high acidity), 400 g of lime or 200 g of wood ash are added to it.
- The plant is placed in a hole, the free space is filled with prepared earthen mixture, watered abundantly, and the surface is mulched with peat or compost. The root collar of the bush should be at the level of the ground surface.
- The top of the plant is cut off, leaving 3-5 strong buds at the bottom.
It is very important to cover the plant well for the winter.
Best time for planting or replanting in the fall - from September 15 to October 15, in the spring - from the 20th of March to April 15. Plants that are in a container when purchased can be planted in the summer, choosing a non-hot day and protecting them from direct sunlight during the first days.
Seedling care
The main operations for caring for barberry bushes are:
- loosening the soil, facilitating access of oxygen to the roots of the plant;
- watering in dry weather, weeding and weed removal;
- pruning weak and diseased branches, forming a bush;
- feeding
In the first 2 years after planting, the seedling should be covered with burlap for the winter to protect it from the cold. Mature bushes are quite easy to tolerate negative temperature. If the winter is severe and frost damages the branches, they are pruned in spring to healthy buds.
Barberry responds very well to mulching
Barberry is a fast-growing shrub that is recommended to be pruned regularly in spring or fall. This will not only remove the skeletal branches located in the central part of the bush, which lead to its excessive thickening, but also give it a beautiful appearance with the help of a haircut. decorative form. The first pruning is done a year after planting, removing half or two-thirds of the branch growth. The best time to give a neat shape to a barberry hedge is June and August.
Attention! Some varieties of barberry have sharp thorns, so when caring for them you should protect your hands with strong gloves. Regular watering (once every 4-7 days) is required only when the soil dries out in dry hot weather and for recently planted plants.
Fertilizer and feeding of barberry bushes
Barberry does not need too frequent feeding. The first feeding of the plant is carried out a year after planting, then every 3-4 years. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied (20-30 g of urea is dissolved in 10 liters of water per bush), in the fall - phosphorus, potassium (15 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium salt per 1 plant), and organic fertilizers. It is good to combine these drugs with microelements.
In July, plants can be fertilized with the complex preparation Kemira-universal at a concentration of 15 g per 10 liters. Nitrogen fertilizers - ammonium nitrate, urea promote powerful growth, the formation of leaves and stems of seedlings, potassium and phosphorus provide abundant flowering and fruiting bushes.
Barberry seeds
Barberry propagation
At propagation of barberry by seeds, they are separated from the stone and kept for 3-5 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Dried seeds are buried 1-2 cm deep in the soil; with the arrival of spring, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 3 cm or more between them. After 2 years, the seedlings can be transplanted to another location. When sowing seeds in spring, they must first be stratified: mixed with sand and placed in the refrigerator for 2-5 months. The stratification temperature should be within 2-5 ºC. In order for the plants to bear fruit after a few years, you need to place several specimens nearby, since this is a cross-pollinated shrub.
Cuttings produced in the morning in mid-July. Preparation of cuttings consists of removing the lower leaves, shortening the upper leaves by half and placing them in an aqueous solution of heteroauxin or other root former for 3-5 hours. After washing with water, the cuttings are planted in a greenhouse. The soil should consist of equal parts of turf soil, humus and peat, to which a small amount of sand is added. For two weeks, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated and the soil is moistened, and when the cuttings are completely rooted, the film is removed.
A young plant ready to be planted in a permanent location
For propagation of barberry layering in the spring, a powerful annual shoot is selected from the lower part of the bush, bent down, laid and secured in a small groove, which is covered with earth so that only the upper part of the branch peeks out from under the ground. By the end of the season, the cuttings will be able to take root; they are separated from the bush and replanted.
Diseases and pests affecting barberry
The most dangerous insects for barberry are the flower moth, aphids and sawflies. Signs of a plant infestation with aphids are drying out and wrinkling of the leaves. The pest can be eliminated by spraying the bushes soap solution(for 10 liters of water take 300 g of laundry soap). Other pests can be destroyed using a 1-3% chlorophos solution.
Powdery mildew on barberry leaves
Barberry can also be affected by fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew, as seen in the photo, leaf spot, rust and other diseases. To destroy pathogens powdery mildew The bush should be treated with 1% colloidal sulfur solution, diseased branches should be cut off and burned. If a plant is affected by rust, it should be treated three times with 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or colloidal sulfur, once a week. For spotting disease, copper oxychloride (30-40 g per 10 liters of water) is used twice before the flowers bloom and at the end of flowering. Plants affected by wilting caused by fungi are treated with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture. If bacteriosis occurs, manifested by cracks and tumors on the stems, it is necessary to cut off the diseased shoot, capturing the healthy part of the plant and burn it, and spray the bush with Bordeaux mixture or its equivalent.
Rust
Having planted on personal plot barberry, you can get great pleasure from amazing beauty this plant, create beautiful compositions using its branches, densely strewn with fruits, and also using berries to prepare many dishes and medicinal tinctures.
Barberry for the garden: video
Growing barberry: photo
Barberry is of great interest to gardeners. The shrub is used as a hedge. Delicious homemade drinks are brewed from barberry fruits and used in folk medicine.
In addition, the bright leaves of the shrub stand out against the greenery, which refreshes the landscape. How to plant barberry and care for it so that the shrub brings joy for many years?
Rules for planting barberry
The shrub easily takes root in almost any soil, it does not require special care, but planting barberry has its own characteristics.
1. Planting of shrubs begins in the spring, when the snow has just melted. Barberry wakes up early, so all work needs to be completed before the buds swell.
2. An open place is allocated for bushes. It is not afraid of winds and drafts, which is a definite advantage. Decorative varieties of barberry with bright leaves are best planted in sunny areas where they will be more comfortable. Green barberry varieties are grown in partial shade.
3. The shrub is unpretentious to soils, but does not tolerate too acidic soil.
Most often, barberry is grown in group plantings. In this case, no more than two bushes are planted per meter of bed.
Barberry is planted using the trench method, with the ditch prepared a month before planting. The trench is made 40 cm wide and deep. The bottom of the planting hole is covered with a thick layer of sand, after which the trench is filled with humus and compost, with the addition of superphosphate and ash. Add slaked lime to acidic soil.
The planting hole is well watered, after which the seedling is lowered into it and covered with earth. The tree trunk circle is compacted and mulched with compost. After planting, the entire above-ground part of the bush is cut off at the level of 3-5 buds.
Caring for barberry after planting
Caring for shrubs is so simple that even a beginner in gardening can handle it. Mandatory measures for caring for barberry include watering, fertilizing, weeding and pruning.
How to water barberry
The shrub survives well with rainwater, so it does not need to be watered often. Barberry does not tolerate moisture at the roots, gets sick and may die. During the rainy season, it is not watered at all; all weeds in the root zone are removed and the soil is loosened.
During the drought trunk circle barberry is moistened once a week so that the soil does not dry out.
Special attention given to newly planted plants. They are watered 1-2 times a week until they are completely established.
How to fertilize barberry
In the first year after planting, the shrub is not fertilized, provided that the planting hole has been filled according to all requirements. Next spring, nitrogen-based mineral fertilizers are applied to each bush. You can water the bushes with urea solution, 25 g. for 10 liters of water. This is where caring for decorative barberry ends.
Barberry varieties that are grown for their beneficial fruits require additional feeding immediately after flowering. During this period, the bush is watered with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. You can use the Kemira-universal mineral complex.
Proper pruning of barberry (photo)
Like all shrubs, barberry needs sanitary pruning, during which all weak and dry shoots are cut out. Sanitary pruning is carried out in spring and early autumn.
In the first year after planting, the shrub is not pruned. Starting from the second year of cultivation, barberry is regularly trimmed. In addition to cleaning, pruning is aimed at forming a bush, so all shoots are shortened by 2/3.
Important! Low growing varieties barberry is not subjected to radical pruning. Only sanitary cleaning is carried out if necessary.
Diseases and pests of barberry (photo)
Despite its unpretentiousness, barberry is not resistant to diseases and pests. Most often, the plant is attacked by aphids. It can be detected by fading young leaves. Preventive sprays are used against aphids laundry soap.
Sawfly and flower moth can also settle on the bush. These pests are most dangerous for varieties with edible fruits. They cause great damage to the crop by eating juicy berries. Spraying with chlorophos will help get rid of pests.
In case of insufficient care or violation of growing rules, barberry is affected by fungal diseases:
Powdery mildew;
Rust;
Bacterial cancer;
Leaf spotting.
Powdery mildew appears as a white coating on the shoots and leaves of the plant. The mushroom successfully overwinters on the bush, after which it begins to actively reproduce again. Spraying with a solution of colloidal sulfur will help get rid of powdery mildew. If the moment is missed, the affected parts of the bush are cut out and burned.
If there are red spots on the leaves of the plant, reverse side which the pad is visible, then we can judge the rust. With severe damage, the leaves wither. For preventive purposes, the bush is sprayed Bordeaux mixture three times a season. The first treatment is carried out along the green cone. The interval between treatments is three weeks.
Various fungal spots on barberry leaves cause a lot of trouble. Preventive spraying with preparations containing copper will help get rid of the problem. Treatments are carried out twice, before flowering and after.
Bacterial cancer on barberry it manifests itself with characteristic cracks, growths and growth. This is a dangerous disease, but there is no need to panic. If only the tops of the bush are affected, then trim the sore spot, taking some healthy tissue. Burn the trash. When the lower part of the bush is affected, remove the diseased shoots completely. In some cases, it is necessary to uproot the barberry and burn it. To prevent the spread of the disease, the bush is regularly sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or other preparations with copper.
Caring for barberry in autumn
Adult barberry tolerates winter well and does not require shelter or additional care, which cannot be said about a young plant.
Until the age of five, barberry must be covered for the winter so that the plant is not damaged by frost. In late autumn, I mulch the shrubs with a thick layer of humus, peat or dry leaves. After the weather settles and the frosts become stronger, a wire frame is installed above the bush. The entire space inside the frame is filled with dry leaves, and covering material is pulled on the outside. In this state, barberry successfully tolerates all temperature changes. With the onset of spring, the frame is removed.
Methods for propagating barberry
Barberry reproduces well by seeds, cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. Each method has its own advantages and features.
Shrub grown from seeds, begins to bear fruit only 3 years after planting. Seeds need to be sown in the fall in open ground, as they need stratification. Young barberry is planted in a permanent place only after two years.
Cuttings barberry planting is carried out in the summer, while the cuttings are rooted in a greenhouse, where they remain for the next two years. To improve root formation, the prepared cuttings are sprinkled with a preparation for root growth.
Reproduction by layering carried out in the spring. The best branch is tilted to the ground and buried. By autumn the branch will take root, the young seedling will be ready for planting in a permanent place.
Barberry propagation dividing the bush Suitable for low varieties. The mother bush should not be older than 5 years. The bush is dug up and divided into several parts. This method allows you to quickly get a fruit-bearing plant.
