Ornamental shrubs are equally popular among landscape designers and ordinary summer residents who want to turn their plot 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 growing this plant. Its berries with a pleasant sourness can be used to make delicious homemade preparations - jams, compotes. They are rich in vitamins and microelements, so they are widely used for medicinal purposes.

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

Site requirements

Barberry - amazing unpretentious shrub. He is not afraid of strong gusts of wind and drafts. Growing the crop will be equally successful in elevated areas exposed to it and in quiet lowlands under the protection of walls or trees. You can place the bush in light shade. This placement is optimal for those varieties whose leaves are yellow. Under the scorching rays of the sun, they easily get burned, often dry out and fly off. But most varieties of barberry, especially red-leaved ones, love bright light. Its deficiency will lead to the bush losing its decorative properties.

Common barberry develops best in fertile neutral soils. In acidic soil, its cultivation will be ineffective. Such soil must be limed before placing shrubs in it. You can carry out the procedure in advance or pour preparations that reduce soil acidity directly into the prepared hole.

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

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

The roots of the bush are sensitive to stagnant moisture. It is absolutely not suitable for wetlands that are prone to flooding, as well as areas where water stagnates for a long time after the snow melts. If the groundwater is high, growing barberry, be it common, Canadian or Ottawa, will most likely end in the death of the bushes. There is only one option here - to arrange high raised ridges for the plant.

Planting dates 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 the young bush from the scorching rays of the sun in the first week after planting it.

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

The holes for planting are prepared in advance - 2-3 weeks before the procedure, so that the soil has time to settle. The bush grows quickly, so the holes need to be made farther 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 from 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 fence is in several rows, then the bushes are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

The bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of sand, then it is filled with a nutritious substrate and moistened abundantly. Having placed a barberry bush in the hole, carefully straighten its roots, cover them with soil, and compact them. The seedling is well watered. Professionals advise mulching the ground around 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 pruned, leaving 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 placed 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 optimal depth for planting seeds is 1 cm. They will sprout in the spring. When the sprouts produce 2 full leaves, the seedlings are thinned out. Leave at least 3 cm of free space between plants. They can be transplanted to permanent site in 2 years.

It is also possible to sow barberry seeds in spring, but in this case they will have to be stratified. They are mixed with sand and placed in the refrigerator, where they are stored for 2-5 months, maintaining a temperature within 2-5°C.

Generative propagation of shrubs is a labor-intensive and lengthy process. In addition, it does not guarantee the preservation of varietal qualities. Having planted Ottawa barberry seeds, you cannot be completely sure that it will grow.

More often the culture is propagated by cuttings. To get them, you only need a barberry bush and a sharp knife. They are cut in the second half of June, preferably early in the morning. Having previously torn off the lower leaves, the cuttings are kept for 1-2 hours in a solution of a drug that stimulates root growth. Afterwards, its remains are washed off with water and the chopped barberry is placed in a nutrient substrate consisting of the following components:

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

In order for the cuttings to take root, the soil must be moist and the air must be warm. Therefore, for 2 weeks you need to create greenhouse conditions, from time to time removing the cover for ventilation. When the seedlings become stronger, they are moved to the beds where they will continue to develop. After 2 years, growing barberry from cuttings can be considered complete: the young bush is planted in a designated place.

Obtaining layering and dividing the bush

The fastest and easiest way to propagate a crop is by layering. To obtain 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 into it. Having securely secured the branch, the groove is filled to the top with soil. If everything is done correctly, only the upper part of the shoot will be visible. Over the summer it will take root, and the new bush can be planted on permanent place.

Spring propagation of barberry by dividing the mother plant is also popular. Most often it is used for low varieties of crops. A 3-5 year old bush is suitable for division, 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 barberry are quite hard. To separate them, one pruner is not enough. In this case, a garden saw will come to the rescue. The procedure must be performed very carefully; the shrub is severely injured, and unnecessary damage will only worsen its survival rate. The cutting areas are sprinkled with crushed coal and the resulting cuttings are immediately planted. Such propagation 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 Oxyphylla - all types and varieties of barberry require the same care. It includes only 5 procedures:

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

Watering the bushes open ground only on dry days. Cold well water is not suitable for humidification. It is better to use liquid from containers placed in the sun, heated by its rays. One watering per week is enough for barberry bushes. Moisture should not be allowed to fall on the leaves; the stream of water should be 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. Along with excess grass, it is recommended to remove root shoots. 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 fertilizing. They begin to be introduced from the second year of the plant’s life in a permanent place. In spring, the bush especially needs nitrogen. You can fertilize it by dissolving 20-30 g of the drug for each plant in 1 bucket of water. The procedure is repeated every 3-4 years. Improve fruiting in varieties with edible berries Phosphorus and potassium help. They are applied twice per season: in the summer at the stage of formation of the ovaries and in the fall, when the harvest has already been harvested.

Pruning and winter preparation

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

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


Barberry is an interesting crop for which there is a place in any area. Even in single plantings, the shrub will stand out, attracting attention with its unusual leaf color. For some varieties it even changes from season to season. Barberry hedges are both spectacular and practical.

With a high decorative value, shrubs in open ground require minimal care; you don’t have to put a lot of effort into it. Barberry withstands unfavorable weather conditions: it is not afraid of hurricane winds, does not dry out in hot summers, and does not freeze in harsh winters. It is undemanding to soil quality and can grow even on soils with poor reserves. nutrients. The culture has many advantages, and the impressive variety of barberry varieties opens up a wide field for experimentation. By combining contrasting or similar colors, shapes of leaves and crowns, and plant height, you can create unusual compositions, the beauty of which is worthy of an artist’s brush.

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 in Ancient Rome, Greece, the monasteries of Tibet, and Ancient Rus'. It was valued not so much for its high decorative value, but for the most valuable healing properties of the 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 at your dacha or garden plot, 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, scented caramel candies “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 of useful substances it contains can 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 for 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 of bright colors of 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 Great for borders and decorating 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 apply 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 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 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.

This plant has many faces. Among its many species you can find shrubs that differ highly decorative, and certain plant species have edible fruits sour taste. 100 g of berries contain 5 daily norms of vitamin C and 2.5 norms of vitamin A. This plant makes an impenetrable hedge, and it is also - natural healer, saving 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 birth to cultivars and there are a lot of them too. When crossing different types The result was plants that were particularly decorative.

The most famous natural forms are the following:

• Common barberry. Occupant southern regions our country. Grows up to 2.5 m. Arched yellowish-brown shoots are covered with dark green ovoid leaves and tripartite spines, reaching a length of 2 cm. At the end of spring, the bushes are covered with fragrant flowers collected in brushes. In autumn, edible bright red fruits more than 1 cm long ripen. Their taste is sour and refreshing. There is also a red-leaved form - Atropurpurea, up to 2 meters high. orange-yellow flowers and dark red fruits. There is also a variegated one – Albovariegata.
• Amur barberry. He comes from Far East and also grows in China and Japan. The shrub, up to 3.5 m high, is decorated in spring with long clusters of flowers, and in autumn with shiny edible juicy red fruits that do not fall off for a long time.
• Canadian barberry. In Russia it is rare. The tall bush consists of shoots of a dark purple color and is distinguished by abundant fruiting.
• Ottawa barberry. It is the result of hybridization between the Thunberg barberry and the red-leaved form of the common barberry (Atropurpurea). The bush grows up to 2 meters. The yellow flowers have a reddish tint, and its fruits are dark red. One of the most famous varieties of this species is the Ottawa barberry Superba. It has very decorative dark red leaves and unusual red yellow flowers. The variety is winter-hardy and almost not affected by diseases.
• Barberry is spherical. This is a fairly frost-resistant shrub native to the mountainous regions of Central Asia. It is distinguished not only by its serrated edge leaves, which are not characteristic of barberry, but also by spherical edible fruits of a dark blue color.
• Barberry Thunberg. It forms a low, spreading bush with small leaves and beautiful fruits that have a bitter taste and are unsuitable for food. This type is most suitable for decorating gardens and parks. For this purpose, 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 barberry Thunberga Atropurpurea. Its bush up to 1.5 meters high is covered with purple-red foliage that changes color to bright carmine in autumn. The real decoration of the plant is the yellow flowers with red streaks collected in brushes.

Planting shrubs in the garden

Most varieties of garden barberry are unpretentious, but they still have their own preferences and 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 terms:

• in early spring until the buds have not yet blossomed, but the ground has already thawed;
• in the fall at the time of leaf fall, but at this time planting is associated with the risk of the plant freezing in winter.

Since the rhizome of barberry is creeping and 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 children 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 in depth and diameter.
• When using barberry bushes as a hedge, do not limit yourself to holes, but dig a trench 40 cm wide and deep along the entire length of the plantings.

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

After a drainage layer of pebbles or broken bricks has been laid at the bottom of the hole, it is filled with a soil mixture of the following composition:

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

Each bush will need 200 g of ash and 100 g of superphosphate. The planting hole is 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 ball 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 does not need to be soaked, but sprinkled root system root 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 - 2 plants are planted per 1 linear meter. It is very important not to bury them when planting; the root collar should be slightly above the soil level.

Requirements for location and soil

All barberries are drought-resistant plants; they do not need moist soil, so places with high groundwater or flooded in the spring are not suitable for them.

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

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

Barberry care

Properly planted bush special care does not require it, but 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. Once established, they should only be watered during droughts and extreme heat. The water must be heated by the sun. If immediately after planting you mulch the ground around the bush with chopped wood chips, bark or nut shells, this will not only reduce watering to a minimum, but also stabilize temperature regime soil, will make it looser.

Feeding and fertilizer

Natural species often grow in poor soils and thrive there. Garden forms are more demanding when it comes to nutrition. In the first year, the plant has enough of the nutrients that were provided 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 - full mineral fertilizer with microelements (you can simply embed it in the soil and then water the bushes);
• in September every mature plant add 10 g of potassium and 15 g phosphate fertilizers, embedding them into the soil.

Trimming

This is the most difficult job when caring for this shrub. Numerous sharp thorns can seriously injure your hands, so 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 pruned only after flowering, since it occurs on last year’s shoots.
3. A hedge of tall bushes begins to be formed in the second year after planting.

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

Care in autumn, wintering

Winter is a difficult test for newly planted bushes, especially if they are not very frost-resistant Thunberg barberries. Plants are prepared for it in the fall. Conducted on time autumn feeding and moisture-recharging watering after leaf fall will help barberry better prepare for winter. But this is not enough.

All young (and in the case of Thunberg barberry, also grown) plants need to be covered. Before sheltering, they must be hardened by light frosts, so the procedure begins when the temperature drops persistently to -5 degrees and the soil freezes to a depth of 3 cm. For this shrub, not only frosts are terrible, but also dampness, which creates the threat of damping off, so the shelter should be dry and airy.

Small bushes can be easily covered with spruce branches and dry leaves, taking care to protect them from mice. Thunberg barberry is first wrapped in burlap or kraft paper, and then covered with covering material on top, securing the cover so that it does not unravel. At the base of the bush you need to provide space for ventilation. Winter protection must be removed in time in the spring to give the bushes complete freedom to grow.

Barberry propagation

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

Dividing 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 depth. Each division should have stems and part of the roots. For the procedure, pruners are used.

Cuttings of some types of barberry do not take root well, but the new plants will look like their parents. This good way get many identical plants for a hedge at once.

Propagation by cuttings

June cuttings taken in the morning take root best. They are taken from the middle part of the green shoot 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 approximately 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.
• Treat the lower part of the cutting with a root formation stimulator.
• The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse with an arc height of about 20 cm. The soil is leafy, sprinkled with a 4 cm thick layer of sand, well moistened. Planting pattern: 5x7 cm, tilt angle - 45 degrees. They are deepened by 1 cm.
• Maintenance conditions: always moist soil, air humidity about 85%, frequent spraying. The use of an artificial fog installation increases the survival rate.

The cuttings overwinter in a greenhouse; the plants are planted in a permanent place after 1-2 years.

When propagated by seed, most plants will not repeat their parents, with the exception of the common barberry form Atropurpurea. Most of these seedlings will remain varietal characteristics. Seed germination is low - in different species it is from 20 to 40%.

Seed propagation

• The most large berries freed from pulp, washed and dried.
• When sown in a growing bed in the fall, 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 are not picked or transplanted. They are resettled to a permanent place only after 2 years.

Main problems when growing

Pests, diseases and methods of controlling them

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

• Powdery mildew. Appears as white plaque on all parts of the plant. Severely damaged leaves and stems are removed. The entire plant is treated with colloidal sulfur.
• Rust. Characteristic orange spots appear on the leaves. Control measures include 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 soap solution.
• Barberry sawfly and flower moth. Treatment with chlorophos solution 2% concentration.

Decorative use of shrubs

A wide variety of plant species and varieties allows you to choose the right bush to decorate your 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 an excellent hedge in its natural form or formed by pruning, which this plant tolerates well.

Owners of country plots very often grow garden barberry. This plant is a wonderful decoration and also has an unusual appearance. However, not everyone knows how to care for it. You especially need to consider how to properly plant this unusual bush and at what time it is best to do this. 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, the culture appeared in Europe, and from there it migrated to Russia.

Barberry seedlings are usually planted on suburban area in the spring, immediately after the ground has completely thawed. However, during this period of time it is quite difficult to carry out proper planting, since it must be done before the buds of the plant open. This is why many people prefer to plant barberries in the fall; during this period there is no need to worry about strict time limits. As a rule, planting occurs during massive leaf fall, so it is very difficult to miss the right time.

It is worth considering that garden barberry is distinguished by its undemanding care; it feels good in dark places, on open areas and windward areas. This plant does not need to 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 and look great in illuminated areas of the garden.

As a rule, this plant feels much better in neutral soil. If the soil pH level is less than 7, then barberry will also grow well. If very acidic soil predominates in a suburban area, then you need to add a little lime to it to normalize the balance of substances.

The soil

When planting barberry in the fall, despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious to the soil, 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 a soil mixture. They should be mixed in equal proportions. To reduce the acidity of the soil, sprinkle it with wood ash in a volume of 200 grams per bush. You can also use slaked lime. In this case, 300-400 grams is enough.

Autumn transplant

In this case, it is worth clarifying that regardless of what time of 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 replant it together with a lump of earth. However, even thanks to these measures, the plant will get along in its new place for a very long time. It takes barberry up to 3 years to recover.

Features of autumn pruning of barberry

As a rule, this procedure is performed in spring and autumn. 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 away excess energy from the plant at a time when it needs additional energy.

Sanitary pruning

It is recommended to perform this procedure 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 has thickened too much. This helps new shoots gain strength and buds form correctly, which, in turn, also affects the power of flowering and fruiting.

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

Features of shelter for the winter

After you have succeeded in planting barberry, you need to take care of the plant before the onset of frost. This especially needs to be done in the first 1-2 years after planting the thorny bush.

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

How to plant barberry correctly in autumn?

As a rule, the thorny bush can be planted either as a single plant or by forming it into 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 location has been chosen, it is necessary to dig an appropriate hole and apply fertilizer. If we talk about the most favorable time, it is recommended to plant barberry in the fall before mid-October. However, everything again depends on climatic features specific region. If planting is done in the spring, then, as a rule, work needs to be done before mid-April.

If we talk about the procedure of planting and transplanting young seedlings, it is simple, regardless of whether it occurs in autumn or spring. First of all, it is necessary to prepare the appropriate seat. Its size should be approximately 40 x 40 cm. 10 kg of humus or compost should be poured into the hole.

If the soil is too oxidized, it is also recommended to add 500 grams of lime to the hole. At the next stage, the seedling young plant placed in the planting hole and sprinkled with soil. After this, 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, leaving 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 collect barberry, it is worth noting that healthy berries ripen towards the end of summer. Usually the harvest takes place at this time or in early September. They make juice from them and can be dried.

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

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

Further care of young seedlings

Despite the fact that barberries are not very capricious and do not require special treatment, you still need to carry out periodic work to improve them. As a rule, in order for the plant to feel good, it is enough to loosen it 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. If you remove all unnecessary, weak, diseased and dried branches, then 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 by seeds, you need to pay attention to the fact that they are very hard, so it is difficult for the seed material to germinate.

Seeds must be sown immediately after they are removed from the berries. This procedure is carried out in mid-October. In this case, the seed material should not be deeply buried. It is enough to place 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 last procedure is necessary to protect the seeds from rodents. When spring comes, all barricades are removed, and the bed is covered with film and left until the seeds begin to fully grow. In the subsequent period, it is necessary to carefully monitor the sprouts, weed them and water them. After this, you can transplant the young barberries to a new location. However, this can be done no earlier than in 2 years.

Some advise propagation by cuttings. To do this, you need to choose them correctly. It is best to select cuttings around mid-June. Moreover, it is recommended to do this early in the morning.

Selected branches must be immersed in a prepared heteroauxin solution for several hours. Afterwards, the finished material should 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 improvised greenhouse covered with film. The planted branches should be left in this state for approximately two weeks. After this, the film is gradually removed. Such cuttings can be transferred to a new place only after two years. The barberry tree is amazing. It decorates country cottage area, so many gardeners strive to plant it in their yard. Beautiful red berries combined with green foliage, which changes color as cold weather sets in, look noble.

Finally

If you care for the plant correctly, it is easy to create the most unusual compositions in your suburban area. No wonder barberry is so loved landscape designers. 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 dangerous fertilizers. The shrub grows well without them. It is enough to periodically inspect the plant, weed and loosen the soil.

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. This is an 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 at single landing- 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 hardiness 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:

1. Getting ready landing pit with sides 40 x 40 x 40 cm.
2. 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.
3. The plant is placed in a hole, the free space is filled with prepared earth mixture, water abundantly, mulch the surface with peat or compost. The root collar of the bush should be at the level of the ground surface.
4. 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 promotes powerful growth, 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 involves removing lower leaves, shortening the top ones by 2 times 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 with a soap solution (300 g of laundry soap per 10 liters of water). 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 the amazing beauty of this plant, create beautiful compositions using its branches densely strewn with fruits, and also use the berries to prepare many dishes and medicinal tinctures.

Barberry for the garden: video

Growing barberry: photo