In their profile you can read that the most beautiful barberries from distant countries found their way into our gardens. Of course, this origin does not mean that the thorn-reinforced ornamental trees come along with demanding care. Anyone who heeds these 3 care tips will be rewarded with magnificent Berberis bushes in beds and tubs.

Barberries thrive better if they are well mulched

Tip 1: Mulch instead of watering and weeding

In the care program for barberries, regular watering is primarily on the agenda in the first 6 to 8 weeks after planting. Once the shrubs have firmly rooted themselves in the bed, the watering can is mainly used in dry summers. An exception are dwarf barberries in tubs, which depend on a supplementary water supply because the limited substrate volume dries out faster.

A mulch layer made of bark mulch, grass clippings or leaves keeps the soil sufficiently moist. At the same time, as a positive side effect, weeds are effectively suppressed, which makes annoying weeding under thorny branches superfluous.

Tip 2: Initial fertilization gives momentum to growth

Awaken the floral spirit of your barberry with a start fertilizing in March or April. Give growth a boost with a dose of 3 liters of compost and 100 grams of horn shavings (€32.93) per square meter of bed area. In the bucket, you should ideally fertilize sour thorn with a liquid fertilizer that you mix with the irrigation water.

Tip 3: Slicing keeps barberries in top shape

For a well-groomed appearance as a solitaire or hedge, you should cut your barberries at least once a year. How to do it right:

  • The best time is after flowering
  • Prune topiary and hedges again in autumn if necessary
  • Put on thorn-resistant protective clothing including safety goggles
  • Cut back protruding branches to the desired length

All barberries sprout again from old wood. You can therefore radically cut an aging shrub in order to rebuild it. The best date for the rejuvenation cut is between October 1st and February 28th, because this time window is stipulated by the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

tips

You can easily transplant a well cared for barberry even at an advanced age. While other types of wood can only cope with the strain of a change of location within the first 5 years, sour thorn bushes tolerate the procedure in every phase of life.

Category:

Vegetable garden