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

1. Seeds

The simplest and affordable way... Collect well-ripened berries, remove seeds from them. Rinse in warm water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If the seeds are planted in the fall, they can be treated with growth regulators. If spring sowing is planned, the seeds should be kept in a cool place (it can be on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator).

For planting, the earth is dug right in the garden, the seeds are sown in rows. The seeds have a small percentage of germination. According to statistics, no more than three out of 10 seeds will sprout, so do not be afraid to thicken the planting. Autumn seeds will sprout in spring. Seedlings need to be given time so that they grow well and get stronger. In one and a half, two years, they will make good planting material.

2. Cuttings

For cuttings, healthy annual branches are chosen, the lower part of which is already stiff. Cut into sizes from 10 to 15 cm. The bottom cut must be made at an angle. Twigs with 3-4 internodes are chosen.

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

Planted in a mixture of sand (1 part) and peat (2 parts). Rooting takes place at home or in a greenhouse. Landings must be covered. The cuttings need constant control. They are ventilated, if necessary, watered and sprayed with water, the earth is constantly loosened. A sign that the cuttings are rooted will be the appearance of new leaves. Now the cuttings are hardened and prepared for transplantation to a permanent place.

3. Layers

Reproduction by layering is a method available even for beginners. Choose a shrub that is suitable for reproduction. Clean and loosen the trunk circle. Find annual, well-ligned branches. Small trenches are dug in the direction of growth of these branches. The selected branches are laid in them, they are pinned (it can be wire bent in half).

The whole procedure is done in the spring. During the summer they water and remove the weeds. Roots will appear in the fall, new seedlings are ready. Do not rush to plant them, let them winter 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.

Barberry planting rules

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

Barberry adapts well to any conditions and soil. But still, there are some rules for planting a plant.

1. The plant cannot thrive on acidic soils. 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; in poor lighting, some varieties lose their decorative color.
3. When planting barberry seedlings, keep in mind that they grow in width. Leave enough room for them.

Planting a single plant

To plant a single plant bought in a store, you must choose a place at a distance of no closer than two or three meters from other plants. The hole needs to be dug larger than the earthen lump of the plant itself.

It is advisable to prepare a nutrient composition from turf, peat, humus, taken in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. Water the seedling well, carefully remove it from the container, trying not to damage root system.

Examine the plant carefully, if you notice damage or decay of the roots, remove this area. If there are no special preparations, treat the cut area with a solution of potassium permanganate and dust it with activated carbon.

Important! Do not deepen the growth point when planting. This will slow down the growth, flowering, fruiting of the plant, and can 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 takes root, the shelter must be removed. Seedlings bought in containers take root faster and better.

If you need to plant a seedling with an open root system, spread the roots well in the hole, this will accelerate the survival of the plant. Such a seedling will require more attention, and the rooting time will be longer.

Planting a hedge

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

Barberry plant care

For all its unpretentiousness, in order to grow healthy and beautiful plant need to organize good care... It is better to plant evergreens in partial shade, and deciduous ones where there is more light. Otherwise, the color of the leaves may change, and their beauty and attractiveness will disappear.

Processor	Description
	Barberry is not very picky about water. You need to water the plant once every 7 to 10 days. But if the weather is very hot, watering must be increased. This is especially true for young seedlings. For adult plants, rain moisture is sufficient. There is no need to water them. Unless, of course, there is a drought. With a constant lack of moisture, the leaves will grow small and their surface will not be glossy.
	If, during planting, a sufficient amount of fertile land was introduced into the hole or trench, then the plant will receive all the necessary nutrients from the soil. Top dressing will need to be done on next year... In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied; at the end of summer, you can feed them with complex fertilizers. Adult plants practically do not fertilize or fertilize rarely (once every 4-5 years), hedges annually.
	Experts distinguish between pruning and shearing of plants. Pruning is the sanitary removal of diseased, dead branches. Pruning is also necessary for a plant with strong thickening. Pruning in early spring... When the plant is not yet blooming. Young shoots are cut out, and when the bush is aging, rejuvenating pruning is carried out. In this case, on the contrary, old branches are cut out, and a new plant is formed from young shoots. Hedges are also sanitized in spring. But they cut them twice for summer period... In spring, after flowering and at the end of summer. Single plants, if desired, give them a decorative or geometric shape, the same is cut. Young plantings are given shape in the second year after planting.

Diseases and pests

Compared to other ornamental plants, barberry is less susceptible to disease. At unfavorable conditions affected by fungal diseases.

The causative agent of the disease is a fungus of the genus microsphere. Mushrooms of this species infect only one plant - barberry. The disease develops, gradually affecting the leaves, then spreads to the stems. Sick plants are, as it were, "dusted with flour." A mealy bloom is visible on both sides of the leaf. Formed and matured spores remain on the plant throughout the winter. In the spring, the infection of the plant will continue.

2. Rust.

If in the spring, when examining the plant, you notice orange spots on the young leaves, turn the leaf over and look from the back side. Is the leaf affected by bulges? Your plant has become a shelter for rust fungus. And convex growths are repositories of hundreds and thousands of spores, which are ready to infect both cultivated and wild-growing cereals. However, mushrooms use barberry not only as an intermediate host, but also harm the plant itself. With a strong infection, the plant may die.

Different pathogens can cause spotting. By hitting the plant, they weaken it. Disrupt vital processes. Diseased plants cannot prepare well enough for winter. Young seedlings may die, adult plants freeze too much. Signs of the disease are spots of various shapes and sizes, drying of young growth.

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

5. Drying of shoots... The causative agents of the disease affect the bark of plants. Spores, getting on a plant, penetrate under the bark and develop rapidly to form whole colonies. The plant begins to dry out. If you spend on time sanitary pruning barberry can be saved.

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

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

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

Important! Preventive measures taken on time will help get rid of problems with diseases and pests.

In addition to processing with special preparations, it is necessary to regularly fight weeds, in the fall to remove and destroy fallen leaves, to inspect and sanitize plants in a timely manner, then your barberries will only bring you joy.

Video - Planting barberry

Video - Features of the tunberg barberry. Barberry care

Barberry glows with a bright red spot in autumn among yellow foliage, diluting the monotony of autumn boredom. But those are mistaken who think that barberry is only ornamental plant and has no other function. Berries are successfully used in food in the form of seasonings and as an additive to tea. They are also used in medicinal purposes, they are good as a choleretic agent, and also deal with problems such as uterine bleeding.

Also, this plant has earned a good reputation as a honey plant. This article provides instructions for planting and caring for this plant for those who decide to decorate their garden with it.

The plant propagates by seeds, cuttings, shrub division and layering.

In order for the barberry to take root well and delight with its appearance and fruits, first you need to choose appropriate place in the garden. The shrub should be visible for aesthetic purposes, but you also need to think about making the soil suitable for it. In addition, it takes into account favorable time for planting barberry.

In New Zealand, barberry is considered a malicious weed and is prohibited from spreading.

Let's start a detailed story about landing by choosing the right time for this event.

Timing for planting

All plants are transplanted or planted by cuttings in spring or autumn, when active sap flow begins, or when the plant is preparing for hibernation... This also applies to barberry.

If you decide to try growing bushes from seed, which means you need to follow the following scheme:

• Since autumn, freshly harvested seeds are placed in a nylon bag (a piece from old tights can serve for them) and hidden in wet sawdust or moss, which can be placed in a flowerpot.
• You need to store the seeds in a cool place until May, and then sow them in a greenhouse or immediately to the garden.

Germinating from seeds, sprouts require special attention to themselves - this is a very troublesome occupation, especially since there are other, more reliable, ways to propagate shrubs.

Choosing a place for barberry

Make sure that the soil at the planting site is not waterlogged

According to lovers of this plant, who have more than one type of barberry in their collection, it is unpretentious in the choice of soil, if you properly fertilize the planting hole and choose the right corner. The only condition for the place is that there should not be stagnant water.

Barberry bushes love sunny open spaces... The shade has a bad effect on the development of leaves and the color of the plant, it loses its brightness and attractiveness, and its growth also slows down.

Barberry is planted both as a single plant and in a dense hedge, but this type of planting requires special care.

When the place is chosen, you need to learn how to properly dig a hole and how to fertilize it.

Good to know: follow her.

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Preparing the soil for planting

If one shrub sapling is planted, a pit of about 45 × 45 cm in size is needed, and a depth of about half a meter.

This hole will seem large for such a still very small bush, but one should not forget about fertilizer, which should fill almost the entire space.

Then it is necessary to pour a bucket of water into the pit so that it saturates the earth, but does not allow it to stagnate. The hole must be provided drainage, it fits to the bottom - it can be pebbles, small pieces of wood and other materials that will allow excess water not to stagnate at the roots.

Next, you need to fill almost the entire space of the pit with a mixture of humus, fertile soil, peat. You can add ash and lime there, thereby neutralizing excessive acidification of the soil. A fertilizer such as superphosphate is also well suited, it will strengthen the plant, give an incentive to growth and help withstand the cold season without loss.

Planting a plant

When everything is ready, the bush must be placed in the center of the hole to such a depth that the neck of the plant root goes two to three centimeters underground.

It is necessary to hide the root collar in order for the plant to survive. If in a harsh winter freezing occurs with the upper part of the plant, then it will revive from the buds preserved on the neck.

The planted barberry should be well sprinkled at the root with old foliage or sawdust - they will retain moisture and looseness of the soil.

Plant transplant when propagating by cuttings

A mini greenhouse for the cutting will help it germinate

Propagation of a plant by cuttings is the most common method, and the easiest and most affordable. In the spring, a cut can be taken from any barberry bush that you like, simply by breaking it off. Then it is necessary to cut off the leaves from it so that they do not take away the strength of the cutting, and plant it in damp ground.

From above, the seedling needs to be covered with a regular plastic bottle with a cropped bottom - this greenhouse will be a temporary home for a bush.

You need to water in moderation and only along the edge of the bottle. For the first 10-15 days, you do not need to open the bottle lid so that the stalk takes root in greenhouse conditions, then you can open it for ventilation for a while. Further, the neck of the bottle should be left open before the plant is transplanted to a permanent place of residence.

The transplant is done only in the fall of next year.

Plant care

In order for the barberry to develop correctly and look healthy, it requires proper care like any other plant. Bush care activities include activities such as watering, feeding, pruning excess and dry branches, and creating conditions for normal growth.

Plant growing conditions

1. An important condition for the development and strengthening of the plant is a well-lit planting site, that is, the sun's rays should fall on the barberry bush for most of the day.
2. Timely moderate watering, without stagnant water at the roots.
3. Periodically fertilize the soil around the plant.
4. Regular soil mulching.
5. Pruning excess and dry shrub branches annually as they interfere with normal growth.

By observing all these points, you can achieve very good results and get a decent harvest. How to act correctly, creating these conditions, will be described in detail below.

Feeding barberry

Urea is applied one year after planting

What, how and when to feed the shrubs? Experienced gardeners recommend starting it in the second year after planting, since enough nutrients, which is quite enough for the plant for a year, for rooting and adaptation.

A year later, in the spring, it is necessary to apply fertilizers - this should be a bucket of water with 25-30 grams of urea diluted in it.

Fertilization should be done with a complex composition of feeding, which must include as many useful trace elements as possible.

Watering the bush

Barberry tolerates short-term drought well and does not require daily watering.

If the summer is rainy, you can do without this process altogether, but if, on the contrary, it is dry, watering is required a couple of times a week.

Barberry is widely used in folk medicine like a medicinal plant.

The plant will not die from drought due to the formed thorns on the branches, but the leaves will become smaller and the shrub will lose its luxurious appearance. It will take some time to restore its normal growth and leaf size later.

In normal summer conditions, with average humidity, one watering per week will be sufficient.

Pruning dry and unnecessary branches

Shrub pruning is an annual process.

Since the barberry quickly starts up new shoots, which are then formed into branches, they begin to interfere with each other, causing the need for thinning. Some branches dry up on their own from the strong summer heat or when the shrub is very thickened, and must be pruned.

As a rule, barberry is pruned once a year - in the spring.

Pruning bushes that are more than one year old is done in the spring. Small barberry bushes can do without this procedure altogether.

But when arranging a hedge from barberry bushes, a certain pruning schedule is required. The first time it is carried out in the second year after planting, immediately forming the crown of the bush in the right way.

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Pest and disease control

Barberry, like other plants, can be susceptible to pests and diseases. In order to keep the bush from this scourge, it is necessary to take some treatments. What pests of the shrub most often appear on it, and how to deal with them?

The main pests and ways to control them

• The first enemy of this bush is barberry aphid... If it settles on young leaves and shoots, they begin to shrivel and dry out. An urgent need to start the fight for the plant. Such means will help get rid of this misfortune:

0.2% phytoverm solution, spray the plant with it two or three times;
300 grams of laundry soap + 10 liters of water - this solution is used in the spring to avoid the appearance of a pest;
A pound of tobacco + 10 liters of water + a solution of laundry soap. This mixture is also used in the spring, but if necessary, then at any other time to save the plant.

• Flower moth spoils the fruits of barberry, eating them from the inside
  As soon as there is a suspicion that this particular pest is present on the bushes, a 0.2% phytoverm solution will again come to the rescue. Spraying also needs to be carried out two to three times.

Attention! After spraying, the fruits become unfit for human consumption.

• Another lover of barberry leaves is barberry sawfly caterpillar The fight against them is carried out by the same methods.
• If you notice that the leaves on the tops of the branches began to wrap on the bush, it means that your barberry has been visited leaf roll or leafy barberry gall midge. In this case, you need to try to do without the use of chemistry. It is necessary to carefully cut off the damaged areas of the branches together with the leaves.

Diseases and the fight against them

• The leaves of the barberry were covered with a white spiderweb bloom, similar to mold - this is powdery mildew ... Many plants suffer from this disease, especially those that grow in dense plantings, where moisture is well maintained due to low air circulation. But if the summer turned out to be very rainy, then powdery mildew can appear on separate bushes.

If you start treating this disease at the very beginning, then a solution of foundationol in proportions of 10-15 grams per 10 liters of water will help well.

If the disease was not noticed in time, it means that you will have to cut off all the affected areas of the bush and be sure to burn it so that the disease does not spread further.

In conclusion, I would like to say that barberry is useful and the right plant that can be used in various fields.

Victor Sergeev

Ornamental shrubs are equally popular with landscape designers and ordinary summer residents who want to turn their site into a charming green corner. Barberry will fill it with bright colors, planting and caring for it is very simple and does not require much time. There are many reasons for breeding this plant. From its berries with a pleasant sourness, you can make delicious homemade preparations - jams, compotes. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, therefore they are widely used for medicinal purposes.

The shrub is strikingly beautiful. The color palette of its leaves includes a wide range of shades: orange, lemon, red, crimson, lilac, dark purple. They can be covered with spots of a contrasting color or have an expressive border on the edges. The forms of the bush are also varied. There are common barberry, Canadian, Amur, Turkmen, Korean, Ottawa, multiflorous, ball-bearing, monetaris. The varieties Superba, Aurikoma, Atropurpureya, Asperma, Orange Rocket and many others are popular with gardeners. Among them there are real giants reaching a height of 3 m, and dwarf species, from which you can make low (up to 30 cm), but dense borders.

Site requirements

Barberry is a surprisingly unpretentious shrub. He is not afraid of strong gusts of wind and drafts. Cultivation of the crop will be equally successful in the high areas it opens and in quiet lowlands protected by walls or trees. You can place the shrub in light shade. This arrangement is optimal for those varieties, the leaves of which are colored yellow. Under the scorching sunlight, they easily get burns, often dry out and fly around. But most varieties of barberry, especially the red-leaved ones, love bright light. Its lack will lead to the fact that the bush will lose its decorative effect.

The common barberry develops best in fertile neutral soils. In acidic soil, growing it will be ineffective. Such a soil must be lime before placing a shrub in it. You can carry out the procedure in advance or pour preparations that reduce the acidity of the soil directly into the prepared pit.

• humus (it is permissible to replace it with compost);
• garden land;
• superphosphate (100 g);
• wood ash (200 g);
• slaked lime (400 g).

If the soil in the area is neutral, alkaline or slightly acidic, then you should not add lime and ash to the nutrient mixture.

Shrub roots are sensitive to moisture stagnation. It is categorically unsuitable for swampy places with a tendency to flooding, as well as areas where water stagnates for a long time after the snow melts. If the groundwater is high, the cultivation of barberry, be it ordinary, Canadian or Ottawa, is likely to end in the death of the bushes. There is only one option here - to arrange high bulk ridges for the plant.

Landing time and scheme

The optimal time for placing barberry in open ground depends on the condition of the seedling. If it was purchased in a pot or other container, this can be done in the summer.

It is important to consider only 2 points:

• choose a non-hot day for the procedure;
• cover a young bush from the scorching sun rays in the first week after planting.

It is better to place seedlings dug out of the ground on the site in early spring, while the buds of the plant are still sleeping. If you carry out the procedure later, the shrub will take root worse and will hurt. It is allowed to plant young barberries in autumn - in September, first tearing off their foliage. Cultivation of culture is possible in the harsh climate of Siberia. Not all varieties are able to withstand it, but only the most frost-resistant ones - ordinary barberry, oblong, Amur. They are placed in open ground there in June.

Pits for planting are prepared in advance - 2-3 weeks before the procedure, so that the soil has time to settle. The shrub grows quickly, so the holes need to be made away from each other - at a distance of at least 1.5-2 m. Their optimal depth and width is 40 cm. This rule is violated if they plan to create a hedge out of barberry. Then it is better to plant it in a trench of the same depth, placing neighboring plants at intervals of 0.5 m. If the hedge is in several rows, then the bushes are staggered.

The bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of sand, then it is filled with a nutrient substrate and abundantly moistened. Placing a barberry bush in the hole, carefully spread its roots, cover them with soil, and compact. The seedling is well watered. Professionals advise to cover the ground near its trunk with compost or peat. They will help retain moisture in the soil and provide the young plant with nutrients. In order for the planted barberry to take root faster, it is cut off, leaving from 3 to 5 developed buds on it.

Sowing seeds and cuttings

Shrub propagation can be done in different ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• layering;
• dividing the mother bush.

The seeds are obtained from ripe barberry berries. Having separated the seeds, they are put in a solution of potassium permanganate for a couple of minutes, dried and sown immediately on the garden bed. It is more convenient to carry out the procedure in the fall. The optimum planting depth of seeds is 1 cm. In the spring they will sprout. When the sprouts release 2 full leaves, the seedlings are thinned out. Leave at least 3 cm of free space between the plants. They can be transplanted to a permanent site in 2 years.

Spring sowing of barberry seeds is also possible, but in this case they will have to be stratified. They are mixed with sand and placed in a refrigerator, where they are stored for 2-5 months, keeping the temperature in the range of 2-5 ° C.

Generative reproduction of a shrub is a laborious and lengthy process. In addition, it does not guarantee the preservation of varietal qualities. Having planted an Ottawa barberry with seeds, you cannot be completely sure that it is he who will grow.

More often the culture is bred by cuttings. To get them, you only need a barberry bush and a sharp knife. Their cutting is carried out in the second half of June, preferably in the early morning. Having previously cut off the lower leaves, the cuttings are kept for 1-2 hours in a solution of a drug that stimulates root growth. After its remnants are washed off with water and the chopped barberry is placed in a nutritious substrate of the following components:

• humus;
• fertile land;
• peat;
• sand.

For the cuttings to take root, the soil must be moist and the air warm. Therefore, for 2 weeks it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions for them, from time to time removing the shelter for ventilation. When the seedlings get stronger, they are moved to the beds, where they will continue to develop. After 2 years, the cultivation of barberry from cuttings can be considered complete: a young bush is planted in a specific place for it.

Getting layering and dividing the bush

The fastest and easiest way is to propagate the culture by layering. To get them, in the spring, a shallow (about 20 cm) groove is made in the soil under the bush. One of the strongest lower annual shoots is tilted and placed in it. Having securely fastened the branch, the groove is covered to the top with soil. If done correctly, only the top of the shoot will be visible. Over the summer, it will take root, and a new bush can be planted in a permanent place.

Spring reproduction of barberry by dividing the mother plant is also popular. Most often it is used for low crop varieties. A 3-5-year-old bush is suitable for dividing, the root collar of which is deepened into the soil by at least 10 cm. It is removed from the soil and cut into pieces of approximately the same size.

The roots of the barberry are quite firm. One pruner is not enough to separate them. In this case, a garden saw will come to the rescue. The procedure must be performed very carefully, the bush is severely injured with it, and unnecessary damage will only worsen its survival rate. Places of cuts are sprinkled with crushed coal and the resulting cuttings are immediately planted. Such reproduction cannot be performed if the bush has already formed shoots branching above the soil level.

Features of agricultural technology

Korean or Ottawa, Superba or Atropurpurea, Harlequin or Oxyfilla - all types and varieties of barberry need the same care. It includes only 5 procedures:

1. watering;
2. top dressing;
3. loosening;
4. weed removal;
5. pruning.

Water the bush in open ground only on dry days. Cold well water is not suitable for humidification. It is better to use liquid from containers standing in the sun, heated by its rays. One watering per week is enough for barberry bushes. It is impossible for moisture to get on the leaves, the stream of water is directed strictly to the root. These rules apply to both adult barberries and newly planted ones.

The plant loves weed-free soil, so the area around it is regularly weeded and loosened. It is recommended to remove root growth together with excess grass. In order not to waste time on these procedures, it is enough to mulch the ground under the bush with sawdust, peat or compost.

Barberry responds well to feeding. They begin to be introduced from the second year of the plant's life in a permanent place. In the spring, the bush especially needs nitrogen. It can be fertilized by dissolving in 1 bucket of water 20-30 g of the drug for each plant. The procedure is repeated at intervals of 3-4 years. Phosphorus and potassium help to improve fruiting in varieties with edible berries. They are applied twice per season: in summer, at the stage of ovary formation, and in autumn, when the harvest has already been harvested.

Pruning and preparing for winter

In order for the shrub to retain its decorative effect, it must be monitored, removing weakened, dry, damaged, diseased and interfering shoots. Many of its varieties can be shaped into any shape using garden shears. First pruned decorative barberry at the age of 1 year. They do it in the spring. The shoots are shortened strongly - by ½ or even ⅔ of the length. They grow very quickly, so there is no need to fear that the procedure will harm the barberry. When the bush reaches 2 years of age, annual sanitary pruning is carried out twice a season - at the beginning and at the end of summer. For dwarf varieties of culture, it is optional.

In late autumn, the soil near the barberry trunks should be mulched with organic material - compost, dry foliage, sawdust. Most varieties of the plant have good frost resistance, and the spectacular Superba is also distinguished by it. While the shrub is still young (up to 5 years old), for the winter it is covered with spruce branches or burlap. Its evergreen varieties cannot do without protection from the cold. In the Siberian climate, adult plants also need it. For them, a kind of hut is made of brushwood or spruce branches, which is covered with snow from above.


Barberry is an interesting culture for which there is a place on any site. Even in single plantings, the shrub will stand out, attracting attention with the unusual color of the leaves. In some varieties, it even changes from season to season. Barberry hedges are both spectacular and practical.

With a high decorative effect, care for a shrub in the open field requires minimal, you don't have to invest a lot of effort in it. Barberry firmly endures adverse weather conditions: it is not afraid of hurricane winds, does not dry out in hot summer, does not freeze in severe winter. It is undemanding to the quality of the soil, it can grow even on soils with a scarce supply of nutrients. The culture has many advantages, and the impressive variety of barberry varieties opens up a wide field for experimentation. Combining contrasting or similar in color, shape of leaves and crown, plant height, you can create unusual compositions, the beauty of which is worthy of the artist's brush.

Owners of suburban areas very often grow garden barberry. This plant is wonderful decoration, and also has an unusual appearance... However, not everyone knows how to care for him. Especially you need to consider how to plant this unusual bush correctly, at what time it is best to do it. Let's consider the question in more detail.

Description of barberry

This plant belongs to the Berberidaceae family. Barberry has amazing medicinal properties... In folk medicine, its fruits, foliage and even bark are used. Africa is considered the birthplace of the tree. Later, culture appeared in Europe, and from there it migrated to Russia.

It is customary to plant barberry seedlings in a suburban area in the spring, immediately after the ground completely thaws. However, during this period of time, it is quite difficult to make the correct planting, since it must be done before the buds of the plant open. That is why many people prefer to plant barberry in the fall, during this period there is no need to worry about a strict time frame. As a rule, planting occurs during a massive leaf fall, so it is very difficult to miss the right time.

It should be borne in mind that garden barberry is distinguished by its undemanding care, it feels good in dark places, in open areas and windward areas. This plant can not be hidden from drafts.

There are several types of barberry culture. Most often, gardeners prefer red barberry, which is famous for its purple color. Such plants look very impressive, look great in illuminated areas of the garden.

As a rule, this plant does much better in neutral soil. If the soil has a pH level of less than 7, then the barberry will grow well too. If a very acidic soil predominates in a suburban area, then a little lime must be added to it in order to normalize the balance of substances.

The soil

During the planting of barberry in the fall, despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious to the ground, it is worth preparing the soil for young seedlings. In this case, the pH value, as already mentioned, should be about 6-7 pH.

Sand, garden soil, and humus can be used as potting mix. They should be mixed in equal proportions. To lower the acidity of the soil, sprinkle it with wood ash in the amount of 200 grams under one bush. You can also use slaked lime. In this case, 300-400 grams is sufficient.

Autumn transplant

In this case, it is worth clarifying that no matter what time of the year the work is carried out (spring or autumn), you need to pay attention to the roots of adult plants that are more than 4 years old. They withstand this procedure much worse. To alleviate the condition of the barberry tree, it is best to transplant with an earthen clod. Nevertheless, even thanks to these measures, the plant will get along in a new place for a very long time. It takes up to 3 years for barberry to recover.

Features of autumn pruning barberry

Typically, this procedure is performed in the spring and fall. It is necessary in order to select thin, dry or damaged branches. It is better not to leave underdeveloped branches for the winter. The fact is that they will take excess energy from the plant at a time when it needs additional energy.

Sanitary pruning

This procedure is advised to be performed regularly. The plant needs it to get rid of dry, diseased and thinned branches. Thanks to sanitization, you can thin out the crown of the plant if it thickens too much. This helps new sprouts gain strength and form buds correctly, which in turn also affects flowering and fruiting power.

Sanitary pruning must be done if the plant is sick. After the procedure, it is necessary to burn all the removed elements. Otherwise, the disease can not only infect the bush again, but also spread to other inhabitants of the suburban area.

Features of the shelter for the winter

After you managed to plant the barberry, you need to take care of the plant before the onset of frost. This is especially necessary to do in the first 1-2 years after planting a thorny bush.

It is worth considering the climatic conditions of a particular region in which the barberry will grow. It is also necessary to pay attention to the characteristics of the variety, since some of them are characterized by low resistance to frost. If the plant is grown in a harsh climate, then it is best to plant it in a calm place.

How to plant barberry in the autumn?

Typically, a thorny bush can be planted either as a single plant or as a dense hedge. In the latter case, you will need to spend a lot of effort and care in order to create such an unusual living fence.

After a place has been chosen, it is necessary to dig an appropriate hole and fertilize. If we talk about the most favorable time, then it is recommended to plant barberry in autumn until mid-October. However, everything again depends on climatic features specific region. If the disembarkation is carried out in the spring, then, as a rule, work must be done before mid-April.

If we talk about the very procedure of planting and transplanting young seedlings, then it is done simply, regardless of whether it occurs in autumn or spring. The first step is to prepare an appropriate seat. Its size should be approximately 40 x 40 cm. The pit should be filled with 10 kg of humus or compost.

If the soil is too acidic, then it is also recommended to add 500 grams of lime to the hole. At the next stage, a seedling of a young plant is placed in a planting hole and covered with soil. After that, it must be thoroughly watered and mulched with peat or compost. At the final stage, it is necessary to cut off the top of the plant, leave from three to five developed branches.

When is barberry usually harvested?

The fruits of the plant are valued for their healing properties... If we talk about when to pick barberry, then it is worth noting that healthy berries ripen by the end of summer. The collection is usually done around this time or in early September. Juice is made from, they can be dried.

Speaking about when to pick barberries, it is also worth noting that leaves are often removed from bushes. Usually this procedure is carried out in mid-June. Immediately after that experienced gardeners the collected foliage is dried in the fresh air and then stored.

The bark of the plant also has beneficial properties. It is usually harvested before the onset of cold weather. The best way to get bark is to dig up the roots and remove them from them. After that, the extracted pieces are strung on threads, dried in the fresh air.

Further care of young seedlings

Despite the fact that barberries are not very capricious, they do not require special treatment, you still need to carry out periodic work to refine them. As a rule, in order for the plant to feel good, it is enough to loosen after planting the barberry in the fall.

Experts recommend removing all weeds and weeding the bush at least once a season. Remember that barberry loves pruning very much. If you remove all the extra, weak, diseased and dried branches, then the next year the barberry will fluff up even more. Periodically, it can be fed with fertilizers.

Reproduction

In this case, you can act in several ways. If you propagate barberry with seeds, then you need to pay attention to the fact that they are very hard, so the seed material is difficult to germinate.

It is necessary to sow seeds immediately after they are removed from the berries. This procedure takes place in mid-October. In this case, the seed material should not be deeply buried. It is enough to lay the seeds to a depth of 3 cm.

After planting, it is enough to mulch the soil with sawdust and cover it with spruce branches. The latter procedure is necessary to protect the seeds from rodents. When spring comes, all the barricades are removed, and the bed is covered with a film and left until the seeds begin to grow fully. In the subsequent period, it is necessary to closely monitor the sprouts, weed and water them. After that, you can transplant young barberries to a new place. However, this can be done no earlier than in 2 years.

Some advise to propagate by cuttings. To do this, you need to choose the right ones. It is best to choose cuttings around mid-June. Moreover, it is recommended to do this in the early morning.

The selected branches must be dipped into the prepared heteroauxin solution for several hours. After that, the finished material must be thoroughly rinsed with clean cool water and planted in a moist substrate.

It is also necessary to mix humus, sand and fertile soil in equal proportions. Then, using arcs, build a small structure that will resemble an impromptu greenhouse covered with film. In this state, you need to leave the planted branches for about two weeks. After that, the film is gradually peeled off. It is possible to transfer such cuttings to a new place only after two years. The barberry tree is amazing. It decorates country cottage area, so many gardeners tend to plant it in their backyards. Beautiful red berries in combination with green foliage, which changes color by the onset of cold weather, look noble.

Finally

If the care of the plant is correct, it is easy to create the most extraordinary compositions in a suburban area. It is not for nothing that landscape designers love barberry so much. Having created one in the garden, you don't have to worry about caring for it. Barberry does not require the use of caustic and hazardous fertilizers. The shrub grows well without them. It is enough to periodically inspect the plant, weed and loosen the soil.

This plant has many faces. Among its many species, you can find shrubs that are highly decorative, and certain types the plants have an edible sour taste. In 100 g of berries - 5 daily norms of vitamin C and 2.5 norms of vitamin A. From this plant, an impassable hedge, and it is also a natural healer that saves from many diseases. All this is about barberry, planting and caring for which is not particularly difficult.

There are about 500 wild species and various varieties of barberry in nature. Many of them gave life cultivars and there are a lot of them too. When crossing different types the plants turned out to be especially decorative.

The most famous natural forms are the following:

• Common barberry. Inhabitant of the southern regions of our country. It grows up to 2.5 m. Arcuate yellowish-brown shoots are covered with dark green ovoid leaves and tripartite thorns, reaching a length of 2 cm. In late spring, the bushes are covered with fragrant flowers collected in a brush. Edible bright red fruits more than 1 cm long ripen in autumn. Their taste is sour, refreshing. There is also a red-leaved form - Atropurpurea, up to 2 meters high with orange-yellow flowers and dark red fruits. And also there is a variegated - Albovariegata.
• Amur barberry. It is native to the Far East and also grows in China and Japan. A shrub up to 3.5 m high in spring is decorated with long clusters of flowers, and in autumn - with shiny edible juicy-red fruits that do not crumble for a long time.
• Barberry canadian. It is rare in Russia. The tall shrub is dark purple in color and has abundant fruiting.
• Ottawa barberry. It is the result of hybridization between the Thunberg barberry and the red-leaved common barberry (Atropurpurea). The bush grows up to 2 meters. The yellow flowers are reddish and the fruits are dark red. One of the most famous varieties of this species is the Ottawa Superba barberry. It has very decorative dark red leaves and unusual red-yellow flowers. The variety is winter-hardy and is almost not affected by diseases.
• Ball-bearing barberry. This is a fairly frost-hardy shrub native to the mountainous regions of Central Asia. It differs not only with the serrated leaves that are not typical for barberry, but also with spherical edible fruits of dark blue color.
• Barberry Thunberg. Forms a low, spreading bush with small leaves and beautiful fruits with a bitter taste, unsuitable for food. This type is most suitable for decorating gardens and parks. For this, numerous varieties have been bred: Aurea and Bonanza gold with yellow leaves, Red Chief with dark red leaves, Harlequin and Kornik with variegated foliage. One of the most famous is the Thunberg Atropurpurea barberry. Its bush up to 1.5 meters high is covered with purple-red foliage that changes color to bright carmine in autumn. Yellow flowers with red streaks collected in a brush are a real decoration of the plant.

Planting shrubs in the garden

Most varieties of garden barberry are unpretentious, but still they have their own preferences and they must be taken into account when planting plants in the garden.

How and when to plant?

Planting time depends on which root system the seedling was purchased with - closed or open. In the first case, planting can be carried out throughout the growing season.

In the second, her time is limited to two periods:

• in early spring, until the buds have yet blossomed, but the ground has already thawed;
• in the fall at the time of leaf fall, but at this time planting is fraught with the risk of plant freezing in winter.

Since the rhizome of the barberry is creeping and is located in the surface layers of the soil, they do not dig a large hole for it. Its diameter depends on the age of the bush.

• For kids 2-3 years old, a hole 25 cm deep with the same diameter is enough.
• For 5-7-year-old plants, it should be larger - about 50 cm deep and in diameter.
• When using barberry bushes as a hedge, they are not limited to pits, but dig a trench 40 cm wide and deep for the entire length of the plantings.

But in any case, the guideline is the size of the root system of the seedling. She should not be cramped in the landing pit. It is necessary to prepare a place for barberry in advance so that the soil has time to settle, and there are no voids in it.

After a layer of pebble or broken brick drainage is laid on the bottom of the pit, it is filled with a soil mixture of the following composition:

• humus or well-ripened compost - 1 part;
• garden land - 1 part;
• sand - 1 part.

Each bush will need 200 g of ash and 100 g of superphosphate. Landing pit spilled with water. If the seedling is grown in a container, before planting it, together with the container, is immersed in water for 20 minutes so that the earthen lump is well saturated with water. For plants with an open root system, the soaking time is longer - from 2 to 3 hours, and it is good to add a root formation stimulator to the water. If the roots are not dry, the seedling may not be soaked, but sprinkle the root system with a root formation stimulator.

If several bushes are planted when choosing a scheme for their placement, you need to remember that they grow greatly in width, so the distance between them should not be less than 1.5 m.The only exception is planting as a hedge - by 1 running meter 2 plants are planted. It is very important not to deepen them when planting, the root collar should be slightly above the soil level.

Site and soil requirements

All barberries are drought-resistant plants, they do not need moist soil, therefore, places with a high standing of groundwater or flooded in spring are not suitable for them.

They are also demanding on lighting. In the shade and even partial shade, the intensity of the color of the leaves decreases, and fruiting will be weak.

In nature, barberries most often grow on sand, in culture they have not changed their preferences - they love light soil. Heavy soils with a high clay content will need to be improved by adding sand. The reaction of the soil should be neutral or very close to it. Acidic soils necessarily lime.

Barberry care

A properly planted bush does not require special care, but in order for it to show itself in all its glory, the gardener will have to take care of it.

Watering the plant

Only recently planted plants need weekly watering. When they have taken root, they should be watered only during drought and extreme heat. The water must be heated in the sun. If, immediately after planting, mulch the ground around the bush with chopped chips, bark or nutshells, this will not only reduce watering to a minimum, but also stabilize the temperature regime of the soil, make it looser.

Top dressing and fertilization

Natural species often grow on poor soils and thrive there. Garden forms are more demanding for nutrition. In the first year, the plant has enough nutrients that are laid down during planting.

Starting from the second year of life, the feeding scheme is as follows:

• in spring - nitrogen fertilizers: 20 g of urea per 10 liters of water;
• before flowering - a complete mineral fertilizer with microelements (it can simply be embedded in the soil, and then water the bushes);
• in September, 10 g of potash and 15 g of phosphorus fertilizers are applied under each adult plant, embedding them in the soil.

Pruning

This is the most difficult job of caring for this shrub. Numerous sharp thorns can severely injure hands, therefore, thick, preferably leather, gloves are needed.

1. Sanitary pruning is done annually in the spring, removing all frozen and dried shoots.
2. To form, the bushes are cut off only after flowering, as it occurs on last year's shoots.
3. A hedge of tall bushes begins to form in the second year after planting.

In adult specimens, annual and biennial branches are pruned by half or one third annually. Low-growing curb varieties are usually not pruned.

Autumn care, wintering

Winter - ordeal for newly planted bushes, especially if they are not too frost-resistant Thunberg barberries. Plants are prepared for it in the fall. Timely autumn feeding and water-charging irrigation after leaf fall will help the barberry better prepare for winter. But this is not enough.

All young (and in the Barberry Thunberg and grown up) plants need to be covered. Before the shelter, they must undergo hardening by slight frosts, therefore, the procedure begins with a persistent drop in temperature to -5 degrees and freezing of the soil to a depth of 3 cm.For this shrub, not only frosts are terrible, but also dampness, which creates a threat of damping, so the shelter should be dry and airy.

Small bushes are easy to cover with spruce branches and dry foliage, taking care of protection from mice. Barberry Thunberg is first wrapped in burlap or kraft paper, and wrapped on top with covering material, securing the shelter so that it does not unfold. At the base of the bush, you need to provide space for ventilation. It is necessary to remove winter protection in spring in time to give the bushes complete freedom for vegetation.

Reproduction of barberry

The barberry shrub reproduces both by vegetative parts of the plant and by seeds.

The division of the bush is possible only in those forms that branch from its base. Usually bushes are divided at the age of 3-5 years. It is especially convenient to divide the plant if it is planted with some deepening. Each section should have stems and part of the roots. For the procedure, use a secateurs.

Cuttings of some barberry species do not take root well, but the new plants will look like their parents. it good way get many of the same hedge plants at once.

Propagation by cuttings

June cuttings cut in the morning hours take root best. They are taken from the middle part of the green shoot of the current year. Lignified cuttings take root much worse.

• The cutting should have 4 leaves and one internode. Its length is about 10 cm, and its thickness is about 0.5 cm. The cut at the top is horizontal, at the bottom - at an angle of 45 degrees.
• The lower leaves are removed, the upper ones are shortened by half. The thorns are not removed.
• The lower part of the cutting is treated with a rooting stimulant.
• Cuttings are planted in a greenhouse with a height of arcs of about 20 cm. The soil is leafy, sprinkled with a layer of sand 4 cm thick, well moistened. Landing pattern: 5x7 cm, tilt angle - 45 degrees. They are deepened by 1 cm.
• Keeping conditions: always moist soil, air humidity about 85%, frequent spraying. The use of a plant with artificial fog increases the survival rate.

Cuttings overwinter in a greenhouse, plants are planted in a permanent place after 1-2 years.

With seed propagation, most plants will not repeat their parents, the exception is the form of the common barberry Atropurpurea. Most of these seedlings will retain varietal characteristics. Seed germination is low - in different species from 20 to 40%.

Seed reproduction

• The largest berries are freed from the pulp, washed and dried.
• When sown on a growing bed in autumn, the seeds undergo natural stratification. In winter, they are stratified in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 months, depending on the type of shrub. Sowed in the spring in the garden.
• Seedlings are thinned out in the phase of 2 true leaves, but do not dive or transplant. They are relocated to a permanent place only after 2 years.

The main problems in growing

Pests, diseases and methods of dealing with them

There are not so many of them, but they can cause serious harm to the plant.

• Powdery mildew. It appears as white bloom on all parts of the plant. Severely damaged leaves and stems are removed. The whole plant is treated with colloidal sulfur.
• Rust. The leaves appear characteristic orange spots... Control measures - treatment with copper-containing preparations or colloidal sulfur.
• Spotting. Spraying with copper oxychloride.
• Bacteriosis If the upper part of the plant is damaged, all diseased branches are cut off. If the base of the trunks is affected, the plant is uprooted and burned.
• Barberry aphid. Spraying with soapy water.
• Barberry sawfly and flower moth. Treatment with chlorophos solution 2% concentration.

Ornamental use of the shrub

A wide variety of species and varieties of plants allows you to choose a suitable bush for decorating a garden in any style. It is often used in landscaping. A bush with brightly colored foliage can become a tapeworm or fit into an existing plant composition. It will decorate a mixborder, and low specimens will be appropriate for alpine slide... Barberries make a beautiful hedge in their natural form or formed by pruning, which the plant tolerates well.