Content
Barberry is a unique garden shrub that combines decorative and consumer qualities equally. The berries of many of its varieties are tasty and healthy, and the bushes have a beautiful appearance and can truly decorate the garden. Pruning barberry in autumn is an integral part of the complex of works for the care of this thorny shrub. It is the key to both maintaining an attractive appearance and good yield.
In the photo below - barberry in the fall.
When is it better to plant barberry: in autumn or spring
For barberry, both spring and autumn planting is possible. In the spring, planting must be done before the buds begin to swell on the seedling. At the same time, you need to make sure that the danger of recurrent frost has passed, and the temperatures are established above zero. A later planting will significantly increase the adaptation period, since the young plant will strive not only to develop the root system, but also to increase the green mass.
In the fall, it is possible to plant both the Thunberg barberry and the ordinary one. At the same time, it is important that the planted plant has enough time to adapt in a new place and have time to take root before the onset of frost. If the necessary deadlines are met, the planted bush will develop its root system and will be well prepared for the first wintering.
How to plant barberry in the fall
Planting barberry in the fall usually does not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners. The seedlings of this shrub are distinguished by good survival rate, therefore, subject to the necessary terms and planting rules, the percentage of their rooting is quite high.
Landing dates
You need to choose the planting time taking into account the climate in the region. It is optimal if the air temperature is kept at the level of + 10-1 5 ° С, and at least 30 days are left before the onset of cold weather. In most regions of Russia, the best time for autumn planting of barberry will be September, in more southern regions this procedure can be done in the first decade of October.
Landing site preparation
Barberry, especially its decorative varieties, loves open sunny areas or light partial shade. At the same time, the place where it grows must be protected from the cold north wind. For planting, it is worth choosing elevated areas, since this shrub really does not like stagnant water in the roots. Places with high groundwater levels should also be avoided. The soil is preferable light, well-drained. The plant does not make special demands on the level of its acidity, but it grows better on neutral or slightly acidic soils.
When planting, it is worth considering the proximity of the plant to buildings, buildings, fences and observing the necessary intervals. For individual plantings, neighboring bushes should be planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other. If the planting is group, for example, a hedge, the intervals can be halved. Ornamental types of shrubs, such as the Thunberg barberry, are planted at a distance of 0.5-0.6 m from each other.
When choosing a place for planting, it should be borne in mind that barberry is a rather strong antagonist and does not get along well with all neighbors in the garden. Do not plant it next to fruit trees such as plum, pear or apple trees. Best of all, he will feel next to the coniferous representatives of the flora.
Seedling preparation
Depending on the purpose of planting, you need to choose the appropriate variety of barberry. If the plant is planted for decorative purposes, you should pay attention to the compact Thunberg barberry or other low-growing varieties. To harvest berries or decorate the garden with a large spreading bush, you need to choose an ordinary barberry.
It is better to purchase a seedling in specialized stores or nurseries. They must be inspected carefully before purchasing. A healthy seedling should have a developed taproot and a sufficient number of adventitious ones, it should look healthy, not have rot and damage to the bark.
How to plant a barberry in the fall
For planting barberry seedlings in the fall in open ground, you need to prepare planting pits in advance. Their size depends on the root system of the plants or on the size of the earthen ball on the roots, if the planting material is taken from a container. As a rule, a hole with a diameter of 0.5 m and the same depth is sufficient. A drainage layer of stones, broken brick or crushed stone must be laid on the bottom. On top of it, a layer of fertile soil or nutrient soil is poured with the addition of organic or mineral fertilizers. With increased acidity of the soil, it is advisable to add a little slaked lime or wood ash.
The seedling is placed vertically in the pit so that its root collar is at ground level. After that, the pit is covered with earth, periodically compacting it to prevent the formation of voids. After planting is complete, the trunk circle must be spilled abundantly with water and mulched with peat or humus. This will reduce moisture loss. In order for the plant to direct all its forces to the formation of the root system, the upper part of the seedling must be cut off, leaving 5-7 healthy buds in the lower part.
How to transplant barberry in the fall to a new place
In some cases, an adult barberry bush may need to be transplanted to another location. For example, if, as a result of the construction of a new structure, the place of its constant growth was in the shade. However, it must be remembered that the older the barberry is, the worse it tolerates a transplant.
Transplanting an adult barberry bush to a new place is possible in spring or autumn at the same time as planting seedlings. Before this event, it is advisable to prune in order to reduce the consumption of nutrients, since during transplantation, some of the roots will be chopped off or damaged. It is better to prepare the transplant pit 2-3 weeks before the day of the event, and the day before it must be shed with water. The transplanted bush is also watered abundantly the day before transplanting.
Transplanting barberry in autumn is best done on a cloudy day. The bush is dug in along the projection of the crown, while chopping off the roots, then carefully removed from the ground along with a lump of soil on the roots. The most convenient way to move a plant with thorny shoots to a new location is on a piece of tarpaulin. Before planting, it is advisable to soak the soil on the roots with Epin's solution, and sprinkle open roots with Kornevin or another growth stimulator. After that, the shrub is placed in the planting hole, and the resulting voids are filled with soil. Then, abundant watering of the root zone is carried out.
How to prune barberries in the fall
Pruning barberry is a necessary event. If you do not do it, over time, numerous root shoots will greatly thicken the bush.It will spread in breadth, become shapeless and sloppy. Considering the large size of an adult barberry and the fact that its shoots are densely covered with thorns, an uncut bush can turn from a garden decoration into an island of impenetrable thorny jungle.
Before trimming, it is worth stocking up with a suitable tool. Since the shrub is prickly, long-handled pruning shears are required. Their cutting edges need to be sharpened well, since the barberry shoots are quite tough. In order not to hurt yourself on sharp thorns, you must put on tight leather gloves on your hands. If the shrub is large, a stepladder may be required to work with the upper tier.
Pruning time
The best time to prune barberry is in early spring. At this time, the vegetative period has not yet begun, the movement of juices has not begun, so the plant is dormant. Depending on the region, this period falls on March or April. However, not all types of barberry can be cut during this period. In early spring, as a rule, only deciduous species are pruned. Evergreen varieties are pruned after flowering.
You can cut the barberry in the fall. This is best done in September or October, after fruiting has ended. The main thing is to have time to complete all the work before the onset of frost.
Sanitary pruning
Sanitary pruning of barberry consists in removing sick, broken, dried out shoots. They are simply cut out "on the ring" at the base. Pruning is carried out throughout the season, while the main activities are carried out in early spring and late autumn. In autumn, the annual growth is cut off, and part of the young growth is also removed if the bush is too thickened.
Anti-aging pruning
To rejuvenate the bush and give it a decorative look again, about every 10-12 years, all old shoots are cut off, removing them at ground level, as well as thin and overly long branches. In this way, the bush is formed anew from young shoots. Do this procedure in the fall before the onset of cold weather. To reduce stress, rejuvenating pruning can be done in stages.
Formative pruning
The barberry bush forms well itself, since its shoots grow vertically upward. Partially, the formation of the crown is carried out during sanitary pruning. Decorative varieties of barberry are cut in accordance with the selected crown shape in the form of geometric shapes, for example, a ball, a hemisphere or a cube. After giving the bush a certain shape, further formative pruning will consist in trimming the shoots that go beyond the size of the bush.
The formation of the crown of the future bush begins in the fall, immediately in the first year after planting. At the same time, weak shoots are cut into a ring, more powerful ones are shortened to a strong bud. This will significantly increase the branching of the future bush. In the second year in the fall, all shoots are cut to a height of 10-15 cm from the ground. This significantly increases the density of the future bush and gives it a rounded shape. In the third and fourth years, the procedure is repeated, increasing the height of the hemp to 20 and 25 cm, respectively. The result is a thick cap of annual shoots that can be easily shaped as needed.
To give the crown of the bush a pyramidal shape, 3-4 skeletal branches are laid in the first year and 1-2 more are added to them every subsequent year. After a few years, due to the different lengths of shoots of different ages, a crown will be formed, close in outline to a pyramidal one.
When using it, you only need to cut off all the shoots that go beyond the size.
Barberry care in autumn
In addition to pruning in the fall, the following actions are included in the complex of measures for caring for barberry at this time of the year:
- soil mulching;
- applying dressings;
- shelter for the winter.
Mulching the trunk circle in the fall can significantly increase the winter hardiness of barberry bushes and is highly recommended for plants under 5 years old. Fallen leaves, peat or sawdust can be used as mulch.
Top dressing is applied in dissolved form under the root of the bush. As a rule, these are potash and phosphorus fertilizers, which significantly increase the frost resistance of the plant in winter. Feeding can be done once every 3-4 years, this frequency is quite enough for the normal growth and development of the bush.
Caring for barberry in the fall and preparing it for winter will not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners. However, for all their simplicity, these activities are of great importance for the health and appearance of the shrub. Therefore, you should not neglect them.
Do I need to cover the barberry for the winter
Barberry has a fairly high frost resistance, but not all of its varieties are able to withstand prolonged drops in temperature. It is imperative to cover young plants for the winter, the age of which does not exceed 5 years. Older bushes are covered depending on the winter hardiness of the variety.
How to prepare barberry for winter
Preparing barberry for winter is quite simple. You can do this with the help of spruce branches, having previously pulled the barberry shoots into one bunch. An additional shelter can be constructed using a non-woven covering material stretched over a frame made of wooden slats. The free space can be filled with wood shavings or straw. If the variety is winter-hardy, then it is enough to simply cover the bush with snow.
Video about the Thunberg barberry, planting, the features of caring for it and preparing for the winter:
Conclusion
Pruning barberry in the fall will preserve the decorative appearance of this thorny shrub for a long time and turn it into a real garden decoration. It is only important to meet the required deadlines and observe safety precautions when working with its thorny shoots. Otherwise, the gardener may suffer much more than the bush.
