A single caterpillar does not cause defoliation on a barberry hedge. If, on the other hand, hordes of larvae attack your barberries, effective countermeasures should be taken. Reaching for chemical insecticides is not an option in a natural home garden. These tips show how to combat sour thorn caterpillars with ecological means.
Caterpillars do not stop at the poisonous barberry either
Immediate measure: Targeted pruning
The excellent pruning tolerance of barberries paves the way for a powerful immediate measure in case of caterpillar infestation. Cut back the shoots by a third to catch as many caterpillars as possible at all stages of development. Spray off the remaining rabble with a sharp jet of water. Before doing so, spread foil under the bushes to catch the larvae in this way and dispose of them with household waste.
Powerful pesticides in harmony with nature
If your barberries are threatened by caterpillars, you should bring out more powerful artillery. The following control agents have proven themselves in practice against larvae of all kinds:
- Make tansy or wormwood tea and distribute repeatedly as a spray
- Dust infested barberries repeatedly with rock powder from the powder sprayer
- Caterpillar-free Xentari von Neudorff: biological agent based on Bacillus thuringiensis, a natural bacterium
- Apply Elephant Summer Oil according to the manufacturer's instructions
- Spray caterpillar-prone barberry with Schacht organic plant spray from the beginning of budding
You can make an equally effective and natural spray against caterpillars yourself. To do this, dissolve 8 ml of neem oil in 1 liter of water and add 2 ml of Rimulgan as an emulsifier. As is usual for all ecological agents, the success of the fight only becomes apparent after repeated use. Therefore, spray infested barberries and the immediate plant neighbors at intervals of 8 days until dripping wet with the neem oil solution. Specialist shops have ready-to-use neem oil products available.
tips
The barberry has developed a clever self-help strategy against maggots in the sour berries. If pests lay their eggs in the fruit, the shrub kills the affected seed itself, so that the larvae starve to death. This method uses sour thorn only if there are at least 2 seeds in the berry. Single-seeded fruits are spared so as not to undermine their own reproduction.