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Barberry is a unique garden shrub that combines equally decorative and consumer qualities. 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 the fall is an integral part of the complex of care for this thorny shrub. It is the key to maintaining an attractive appearance and good yields.
In the photo below – barberry in the fall.
When is the best time to plant barberries: in autumn or spring
For barberry, both spring and autumn planting is possible. In the spring, planting should be done before the buds begin to swell on the seedling. At the same time, you need to make sure that the danger of returning frosts has passed, and the temperatures have settled 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 autumn, it is possible to plant both the Thunberg barberry and the common barberry. At the same time, it is important that the planted plant has enough time to adapt to a new place and have time to take root before the onset of frost. If you meet the necessary deadlines, the planted bush will develop its root system and prepare well for the first wintering.
How to plant barberry in autumn
Planting a 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.
Terms of planting
You need to choose the landing time taking into account the climate in the region. It is optimal if the air temperature is kept at + 10-1 5 ° С, and at least 30 days are left before the onset of cold weather. In most regions of Our Country, September will be the best time for the autumn planting of barberry; in more southern regions, this procedure can be done in the first decade of October.
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. It is also necessary to avoid places with a high level of groundwater. The soil is preferably light, well-drained. The plant does not impose special requirements 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 observe the necessary intervals. For individual plantings, adjacent 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 shrub species, such as Thunberg’s barberry, are planted at a distance of 0,5-0,6 m from each other.
When choosing a landing site, it is worth considering that the barberry is a rather strong antagonist and does not get along well with all garden neighbors. Do not plant it next to fruit trees such as plum, pear or apple. Best of all, he will feel next to 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 undersized varieties. To obtain a harvest of berries or decorate the garden with a large sprawling bush, you need to choose an ordinary barberry.
It is better to purchase a seedling in specialized stores or nurseries. Before buying, they must be carefully inspected. A healthy seedling should have a developed tap root and a sufficient number of adnexal, it should look healthy, have no rot and damage to the bark.
How to plant a barberry in the fall
For planting barberry seedlings in autumn in open ground, it is necessary to prepare planting pits in advance. Their size depends on the root system of plants or on the size of the earthen clod on the roots, if the planting material is taken from the 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 bricks or rubble must be laid at the bottom. A layer of fertile soil or nutrient soil is poured over it 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 hole so that its root neck is at ground level. After that, the pit is covered with earth, periodically compacting it to prevent the formation of voids. After planting, the trunk circle should be poured 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 place. For example, if as a result of the construction of a new structure, the place of its permanent growth turned out to be in the shade. However, it must be remembered that the older the barberry, the worse it tolerates transplantation.
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 to reduce nutrient consumption, since during transplantation, part of the roots will be chopped off or damaged. It is better to prepare a pit for transplantation 2-3 weeks before the day of the event, and on the eve it must be spilled with water. The transplanted bush is also watered abundantly the day before the transplant.
Barberry transplantation 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 clod of soil on the roots. It is most convenient to carry a plant with thorny shoots to a new place on a piece of tarpaulin. Before planting, it is advisable to soak the ground on the roots with Epin’s solution, and sprinkle the open roots with Kornevin or another growth stimulant. After that, the bush is installed in the planting hole, and the resulting voids are filled with soil. Then produce abundant watering of the root zone.
How to prune barberry in autumn
Pruning barberry is a necessary event. If it is not done, over time, numerous root shoots will greatly thicken the bush. It will spread out in breadth, become shapeless and sloppy. Given the considerable size of an adult barberry and the fact that its shoots are densely dotted with thorns, an uncircumcised bush can turn from a garden decoration into an island of impenetrable prickly jungle.
Before pruning, stock up on the right tool. Since the shrub is thorny, long-handled garden shears will be required. Their cutting edges need to be sharpened well, since barberry shoots are quite tough. In order not to injure yourself on sharp spikes, you must wear thick leather gloves on your hands. If the shrub is of considerable size, a ladder may be required to work with the upper tier.
Trimming time
The best time to prune barberries is early spring. At this time, the vegetative period has not yet begun, the movement of juices has not begun, so the plant is at rest. 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 its deciduous species are pruned. Pruning of evergreen varieties is carried out 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 finish all the work before the onset of frost.
Sanitary pruning
Sanitary pruning of barberry consists in removing diseased, broken, dried shoots. They are simply cut out “on a ring” at the base. Pruning is carried out throughout the season, with the main activities carried out in early spring and late autumn. In autumn, cut off the annual growth, and also remove part of the young shoots if the bush is too thick.
Rejuvenating pruning
To rejuvenate the bush and give it a decorative look again, about once 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 re-formed from young shoots. Do this procedure in the fall before the onset of cold weather. To reduce stress, anti-aging pruning can be carried out in several stages.
Forming pruning
The barberry bush is well formed by itself, since its shoots grow vertically upwards. Partially, the formation of the crown is also carried out during sanitary pruning. Decorative varieties of barberry are sheared in accordance with the chosen crown shape in the form of geometric shapes, for example, a ball, hemisphere or cube. After giving the bush a certain shape, further formative pruning will consist in cutting 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 very 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 autumn, all shoots are cut to a height of 10-15 cm from the ground. This greatly increases the density of the future bush and gives it a rounded shape. For 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. In a few years, due to the different lengths of shoots of different ages, a crown will form, close in outline to a pyramidal one.
When using it, it is only necessary to cut off all the shoots that go beyond the size.
Caring for barberry in the autumn
In addition to pruning in the fall, the barberry care package at this time of the year includes the following actions:
- soil mulching;
- fertilizing;
- shelter for the winter.
Mulching the trunk circle in autumn can significantly increase the winter hardiness of barberry bushes and is highly recommended for plants under 5 years old. As mulch, you can use fallen leaves, peat or sawdust.
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 plant’s frost resistance in winter. Feeding can be carried out 1 time in 3-4 years, such a frequency is quite enough for the normal growth and development of the bush.
Caring for a 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, they should not be neglected.
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 temperature drops. Be sure to cover for the winter you need young plants, whose age 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, after pulling the barberry shoots into one bunch. Additional shelter can be built using a non-woven covering material stretched over a frame of wooden slats. Free space can be filled with wood shavings or straw. If the variety is winter-hardy, then it is enough just to cover the bush with snow.
Video about Thunberg barberry, planting, caring for it and preparing for winter:
Conclusion
Pruning the barberry in autumn will preserve the decorative appearance of this prickly shrub for a long time and turn it into a real decoration of the garden. It is only important to meet the required deadlines and observe safety precautions when working with its prickly shoots. Otherwise, the gardener may suffer much more than the bush.