Proper pruning and shaping of barberry

Features of pruning barberry

Barberry tolerates haircuts well.
To create shrub (topiary) sculptures, it is used as often as boxwood, spirea, laurel, thuja, privet and elm, and a large selection of plants with different leaf colors makes it popular in landscape design. Barberry grows quickly. The growth of branches per season can reach 30 cm in some varieties. To maintain the attractive appearance of the bush, pruning becomes a necessary step in caring for the plant. It can be divided into 3 stages, each of which has a specific goal:

sanitary pruning;
formative pruning;
anti-aging pruning.

Sanitary pruning

The formation of the plant crown begins in the second year of the plant’s life. When planting, only shorten healthy branches and remove weak branches.

The formation of the bush begins immediately after planting

Next spring, all shoots are cut at a distance of 8–10 cm from the ground. This leads to tillering of the plant. In the third year, the regrown shoots are cut 3–5 cm higher than the previous one. In the case of a single arrangement of barberry in the planting, you will maintain the given shape by removing excess branches in spring and autumn. When creating hedges, border plantings or shapes, this type of pruning becomes an annual necessity.

Formative pruning

While the formation is taking place (the first 4–5 years), you can forget about the flowering of barberry. Subsequently, the procedure is carried out after the appearance of the ovary. Young plants are trimmed by hand with pruning shears or garden shears, giving them shape and maintaining it. For adult plantings, especially if they occupy a large area, you can use electric scissors or other necessary tools. An adult bush undergoes anti-aging pruning, and starting next year they begin to shape it.

Formative pruning can be replaced with curly pruning

If you decide to decorate your site with a sculpture made from living plants, then the shaping haircut should be replaced with a curly one, carried out twice annually per season (at the beginning and end of summer). The hardest thing to do is the first time. Geometric shapes - cube, pyramid, ball, cylinder - are within the capabilities of any gardener. To obtain a cube (or rectangle), guide rails are used, fixed vertically and horizontally. Branches that go beyond the established boundaries are cut off.

Bushes can be easily shaped into a cube or rectangle

If it is a small cube, then 1–2 plants are enough. For a larger figure, you will need to plant from 5 to 9 bushes around the perimeter and in the center. This is done so that in adulthood the plants look like a single whole.

Using the same principle, you can get a pyramid or a cone. The haircut goes from bottom to top in parts along all edges. This makes it possible to correct any errors that may arise.

The most difficult thing to get is a ball-shaped figure. Using a template will greatly simplify your work. It's not difficult to do. A semicircle of the required size is cut out of a piece of plywood or plastic (you can use a tube or wire) and attached to a pin. By rotating such a device around its axis, you will get an even ball.

It’s not easy to form a ball of plants

Once you learn how to make simple shapes, you can always try to create a more complex shape. This is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Imagine a design of any complexity in the form of simple components that you already know how to make. All that remains is to create smooth transitions from one figure to another, and you will have a step pyramid, a labyrinth or a cute caterpillar on your site.

From simple figures you can create more complex compositions of bushes

Anti-aging pruning

Anti-aging pruning is required for plants from 8–10 years old. By this time, the decorative value of barberry is decreasing.

When rejuvenating pruning, all shoots are removed

Pruning all shoots gives impetus to increased shoot growth. Next spring they begin to form a bush.

Formation of a beautiful bush crown

In order for barberry to be a decoration for a summer cottage, it needs to be given a beautiful shape. For this purpose, formative pruning was invented. Gardeners trim the crowns of plants in different ways, giving them an unusual look that instantly attracts attention. Certain varieties of barberry allow you to go beyond the choice of geometric shapes. They create realistic animals and strict columns. It is best to engage in crown formation in spring or autumn days. The second option is considered optimal. The essence of the procedure is to regulate the number of branches on the plant itself. It also includes thinning, since the excessive density of barberry does not allow it to bear fruit and bloom normally. The most difficult thing is to give barberry the required shape for the first time. A gardener should use the services of a professional who specializes in decorative pruning of plants. In the future, you will only need to trim the branches if they grow too much.

Features of autumn pruning of barberry

Barberry is often found in private gardens, city alleys and parks. It is unpretentious, drought-resistant and grows in any soil. But the perennial looks especially bright and charming if it is regularly pruned and the crown is shaped and thinned.

When is the best time to start pruning?

In the fall, sanitary pruning of barberry is carried out. Evergreen varieties (for example, warty barberry) are pruned immediately after flowering. Deciduous barberries (for example, Thunberg barberry) are partially thinned out; formative pruning is best done in the spring.

Thinning of the bush crown is carried out from the first ten days of September to mid-October, before the onset of serious cold weather. It is not recommended to do this at temperatures below 0 C°.

Advantages of autumn pruning:

the root space and crown of the bush are better ventilated, so the plant is less susceptible to pest invasion and less likely to be affected by diseases;
the procedure causes more powerful flowering and fruiting;
the formation of new shoots is stimulated.

The only disadvantage is that the bush becomes less attractive after this event. After all, the perennial looks especially beautiful in September - October, when the foliage is most intensely colored in bright orange, coral and cherry shades.

Techniques for autumn pruning barberry bushes

The perennial crop will retain its decorative qualities if pruned annually. In autumn, barberry is freed from old branches that violate the geometry of the bush, as well as from the exuberant growth of this year's shoots, due to which the plant acquires a well-groomed appearance, especially in single plantings.

When cutting out barberry branches, the main thing is not to overdo it; it is worth remembering that abundant flowering occurs only on annual shoots

Before you start cutting, you need to prepare sharp pruning shears or garden shears with long handles and thick gloves (the bush has many small thorns).

Operating procedure:

General principle: young shoots are cut at an angle to the first pair of strong, healthy buds. At the same time, the stems of the current year are reduced by about 1/4, giving the barberry a neat appearance.

Excess growth turns barberry into a thorny jungle, so it is better to promptly remove numerous young shoots

Weakened shoots are partially cut off, leaving a “stump” of 5–7 cm

Sick and crooked branches are cut down to ground level, making way for young shoots

The cleaned root space is easier to mulch for the winter. The barberry is finally formed in the spring.

Trimmed barberry bushes (right) look much more well-groomed and tidy than before trimming (left)

Dwarf barberries grow slowly. In the fall they are partially thinned out (sanitary pruning), and formative pruning is carried out in the spring only once every 2–3 years. But columnar barberries require annual sanitary and formative pruning twice a year - in autumn and spring.

Also, autumn pruning of decorative perennials is suitable for rejuvenating old bushes; this procedure is organized once every 10 years.

Photo gallery of various types of barberry

Experienced gardeners recommend pruning ornamental shrubs on the waning moon. It is best to start cutting barberry in early September, then the plant will have fully recovered by the time of frost. I get my hair cut very late - at the end of October. Clusters of red-violet berries are good to brew into tea or add to compote - the gentle sourness and bright scarlet color add piquancy to the drinks. But the fruits gain juiciness only after the first frost, for this reason I trim the bushes at the end of October.

Video: autumn cutting of barberry

Most varieties of this ornamental crop grow strongly, so the effectiveness of autumn pruning is obvious. To prevent the beautiful barberry from turning into thorny thickets and to look much more attractive in the coming season, the owner of the plot will not ignore autumn pruning, given that the pruning procedure will not be difficult even for a beginner.

Reviews from gardeners

In EDSR I came across a recommendation to prune barberries in June after flowering. Without knowing this, I cut it in the spring, the result was visible already in the current season. I would cut a branch about 30 cm long, leaving the small ones alone. He would have been fed Kemira-universal "Spring", if it had not been there - another mineral water with a predominance of nitrogen. In late summer, when the branches have grown, prune them again to bring them closer to average size. It seems to me that it will even out, the plant is unpretentious and grateful.
OlgaZ, Moscow
https://www.websad.ru/archdis.php?code=218362&subrub=%C1%E0%F0%E1%E0%F0%E8%F1%FB

I cut my barberries the way that is convenient for me in life, I read and read all sorts of literature about them, I tried to follow some rules, but somehow they do not behave according to the rules. In early spring, it seems that all the branches begin to put out leaves, and then many dry out, so in the spring I don’t cut them right away, but I watch who behaves (such branches are not resident anyway). All summer I do sanitary pruning and when the bush takes effect in the summer, I trim as many decorative ones as I want. Barberry is remarkable in that it grows and recovers quickly. This is my experience.
Levmarina, Moscow
https://forum.tvoysad.ru/viewtopic.php?t=167

About a hedge made of barberry. Nana is quite short, up to 60 cm in height, in principle, if you trim it, what will remain? Many photos of hedges in Yandex from tunberg atropurpurea, beautiful - I have single bushes of both varieties, they grow well, I have never had pests or diseases, but mine There is already the first one, about 1.8 m, planted as an adult bush. If you cut small seedlings, I think it will work out great, but! terribly prickly, just creepy, before planting, remove all the weeds, then mulch, I was so tormented by weeding, I scratched my hands.
Rikki-tikki
https://eva.ru/forum/topic-messages.htm?print=true&topicId=2873383

Pruning barberry requires certain skills. However, the labor expended will pay off when multi-colored bushes of unusual shapes appear on your site.

Source – https://diz-cafe.com/sad-ogorod/obrezka-barbarisa-vesnoy.html

Circuits and technology

Proper pruning of shrubs is quite simple. Its branches grow almost vertically and rarely get tangled. But giving thickened barberry the required shape can be difficult.

Features of pruning a young bush

The first pruning of a young bush is carried out in the first spring after planting. Choose one of the strongest shoots and shorten it to the first bud. Cut out all weak branches. Over the summer, the shrub will produce abundant growth. In this form he will go away for the winter. The gardener only needs to remove damaged or diseased branches.

Next spring, the shrub is “planted on a stump.” All branches are cut low, leaving high stumps. During the growing season, the awakened buds will give abundant growth. The rule for pruning young barberry: the operation is carried out only in the spring, in the fall the bush is left alone.

Anti-aging pruning

Old bushes (12 years or more) require anti-aging pruning. It is recommended to proceed as follows:

cut out all old shoots of dark color without leaving stumps;
weak young ones should also be removed;
cut out some of the young ones, leaving stumps;
shorten the remaining young shoots by 1/3.

You should not be afraid of removing shoots too radically: barberry will quickly respond to it and grow new branches. In this way, you can extend the life and fruiting of the shrub in the garden.

Wellness

Healthy pruning is carried out at any time of the year. During this process, all broken and dried branches are removed. It is definitely recommended to carry out the operation after strong winds, heavy snowfalls, and freezing rains.

Formative

It is simple to form barberry: all its branches grow almost vertically. The gardener is only required to promptly remove old and tangled shoots. It must be taken into account that some barberries produce abundant root shoots. It also needs to be cut close to the ground. Barberry easily recovers after pruning of any intensity, so it can be given any shape using a topiary frame.

Features of pruning various types of barberry

If barberry is left alone, it will form into a disheveled ball. Landscape designers take this feature into account: most often they cut barberry in the form of a ball, cone or pyramid.

Sometimes in the garden there are barberry bushes, trimmed in the form of a cube or rectangular parallelepiped. In this way a hedge is formed.

When planning an outline, the gardener must calculate the number of skeletal branches of the plant:

for a spherical or cubic shape, 2-3 strong shoots are enough;
a pyramid or cone involves 6-8 skeletal shoots of different lengths.

It is impossible to give the required shape to a plant in one season. First, the gardener should determine the number and direction of the main branches, and next year, using a frame or template, complete the pruning.

Basic rules for carrying out work

Many novice gardeners are interested in how to properly prune barberry, which will bring maximum benefit to the shrub.

There are several recommendations in this regard:

the procedure is carried out in the spring until the plant’s buds form;
branches affected by pests or diseases must be removed completely to prevent further infection;
during pruning, it is necessary to remove weakened and wilted parts of the plant, which spoil the appearance and do not bring any benefit;
if barberry bushes play the role of a hedge in a garden plot, the first pruning is carried out no earlier than two full years of plant life;
after the shrub reaches ten years, it requires regular anti-aging pruning;
the shape of the barberry bush, which performs a decorative function, can be spherical or cone-shaped;
For high fertility, the bush should be planted in an area with plenty of sunlight and heat, and regular pruning should be carried out.

Reproduction

If the farm needs a large number of seedlings (for a hedge, a rest area, finishing ridges and borders), you can take advantage of the ability of barberry to reproduce by seeds and vegetative parts of the plant (cuttings, transplanting, dividing the bush). Barberry can be propagated by grafting by combining several varieties and getting a melange bush with berries of different colors and shapes.

Seeds

When growing barberry with seeds, it is more rational to sow with freshly harvested seed. The harvested berries are freed from pulp and immediately before winter (October-November) they are sown in a 2-3 cm furrow of the prepared bed. Sowing is covered with 1-2 cm of mulch. During the winter they undergo natural stratification and emerge together in the spring. When seedlings can be distinguished from weeds, the bed is weeded and kept constantly free of weeds. Water if necessary. The watering period is determined by drying the top layer of soil on 1 phalanx of the finger. They are transplanted from the garden to a permanent location after 2 years, preferably in the spring.

Green cuttings

To propagate barberry by green cuttings, they are harvested in the 2nd-3rd decade of June from shoots of the current year 8-15 cm long. 2-3 lower leaves are removed from the cuttings and the lower ends are lowered into a solution of root or other root-forming agent for 6-8 hours. Prepare a soil mixture from clean garden soil and peat or humus with sand (1:1:1). They are planted obliquely at an angle of 45 degrees in a 4-5 cm layer according to a 5x7 or 7x8 cm pattern. The soil is slightly compacted and watered. Cover with film to maintain humidity and air temperature (+18..+22°C).

Rooting is long and throughout this period the leaves of the cuttings are sprayed daily. After the roots appear, the number of sprays is reduced, but the rate is slightly increased. Rooted cuttings are transplanted permanently after 1-2 years. Propagation of barberry by winter (woody) cuttings is more difficult. At home, it is more practical to propagate using green cuttings.

Other types of reproduction

Other types of vegetative propagation include summer budding, dividing the bush, transplanting young shoots from the mother bush, using shoots and layering. The implementation of these methods of propagation is no different from those on bushes of other crops (currants, gooseberries, raspberries, serviceberry and others).

Methods of crop propagation: step-by-step instructions

Barberry is propagated in several ways: by cuttings, dividing the bush and using layering.

To plant seedlings, it is necessary to organize a greenhouse. The process consists of several stages:

Preparing the base. It consists of compost, on top of which is laid forest litter or a mixture of rotted leaves and soil, laid out 10-15 centimeters high. Next comes a layer of river sand 4 centimeters high.
The resulting substrate should be thoroughly compacted and watered abundantly.
The top is covered with film or transparent glass.

The finished greenhouse will be a temporary place for planting cuttings.

Cuttings

Those who want to grow barberry should give preference to cuttings. It is advisable to cut the shoots in the morning, while dew remains on them.

To prepare the cuttings, do the following:

Prepare a sharp knife.
Select an annual branch with elastic bark. It is better to choose one with at least 4 internodes.
Cut off the shoot almost at the root.
Place the shoot in a container of water.
Move it to a dark place.

When the material is ready, the shoot begins to be trimmed.

Green cuttings

Green cuttings can be used to propagate the crop. From one-year growth, you need to cut out the middle part of the stem, 8 to 10 centimeters long. All cuts must be made at an angle of 45 degrees.

The finished cuttings can be tied into bunches and placed with the lower cut in a container of water. This will significantly improve the rooting of the resulting seedling. Next, you should plant the cuttings in a greenhouse, and then in the ground.

Woody cuttings

Woody cuttings are also used to propagate the bush. The procedure is carried out at the end of autumn. Biennial shoots should be selected as starting material. They need to be cut 20 centimeters in length.

Then they land in a deep trench. Sprinkling with a layer of mulch (can be replaced with fallen leaves) will help to root the cuttings. When spring comes, the planted cuttings are placed in greenhouses. The further procedure completely repeats the actions with green cuttings.

Dividing the bush

You can grow a beautiful bush by dividing the bush, which is used when it is necessary to quickly obtain young seedlings. The procedure is as follows: the bush is dug out as carefully as possible and cut into pieces. Each cut should be treated with a special paste that stimulates growth. If the root system is sufficiently developed, it is enough to cut the root and plant the resulting seedlings in different holes, after moistening them.

Growing from seeds at home

A healthy bush can be obtained even from a small seed. However, the method of growing barberry with seeds is quite painstaking, and the probability of germination is low. Sowing of seeds is carried out in the autumn, in furrows 3 centimeters deep. Sprouted seeds are cleared of weeds and thinned out. A year later, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent location of the bush.

Root shoots

Quite often, buds form on the roots of barberry, from which shoots appear. They provide an opportunity to grow new bushes. If growth is detected, do the following:

Dig up the resulting sprout.
Cut the connection between the mother bush and the cutting using pruning shears.
Together with a lump of earth, transplant it to the selected location on the site.

Growing barberry in this way is the most painless for the plant and does not require much effort.

By layering

If there is already a barberry bush on the site, and the owner is happy with it, but you want to add a few more of the same kind to the landscape, you can use layering to propagate the bush. For this, healthy annual branches are selected. Furrows are made around the mother bush and moistened.

Shoots 15 centimeters long are placed in the resulting recesses, secured and covered with earth so that only the tops are visible. During one season, the cuttings are watered, and by autumn, ready-made seedlings with their own root system are obtained.

General information about barberry

Barberry is a thorny shrub with edible fruits, native to Asia and the Caucasus. The long-lived plant does not require special care and is used not only to produce healthy berries, but also to decorate plots of land. Despite its southern origin, barberry has sufficient winter hardiness and is successfully grown in central Russia.

Barberry looks very elegant when flowering

There are many varieties of barberry, both deciduous and evergreen. Regardless of the species, they are all armed with the sharpest spines - simple, triple or quintuple. Flowering occurs at a variety of times. For example, Siberian barberry is characterized by early flowering (from mid-May), mid-flowering (late May - early June) by oblong and entire barberry, late (second half of June - early July) by Gerald's barberry and coin barberry.

Most species of barberry are excellent honey plants, as their small yellow flowers are very fragrant and attract bees well. By the end of summer - beginning of autumn, the bushes dress in a bright outfit of berries, which are red, purple, dark blue or black.

Regardless of the variety, the berries are very sour. Nevertheless, they are traditionally used in the preparation of pilaf and other meat dishes.

In autumn, barberry is decorated with bright berries and purple leaves.

The decorative advantages of barberry are preserved throughout the season. In autumn, deciduous barberries have brightly colored leaves and berries that create an extraordinary effect.

When planting barberry in order to obtain a harvest, it is necessary to allocate a well-lit place for the shrub. Barberry is fed starting from the second year, usually with complex fertilizers. The shrub needs little watering - it has excellent drought resistance; watering 3 times per season is enough. Protection against pests usually comes down to the destruction of aphids using, for example, Inta-vir.

What diseases should barberry be treated for in the fall?

Of the diseases, barberry most often suffers from fungal ailments, the most common of which are: powdery mildew; bacteriosis; rust; withering; leaf spotting.

Powdery mildew manifests itself in the form of a loose white coating that looks like mold and covers the shoots, leaves, and occasionally the berries of fruit bushes. If even minor lesions are not eliminated, then during the fall cleistothecia will form in these areas, in which the fungus will overwinter. To cure a plant from powdery mildew, you can treat it, as shown in the video, using an aqueous solution of foundationazole (15–20 g per 10 liters of water) or one percent colloidal sulfur. Spraying, as a rule, is enough to carry out once. Severely affected leaves, shoots and fruits of the bush should be removed and burned.

Barberry bacteriosis, or otherwise bacterial cancer, is accompanied by characteristic tumors (cancerous formations), cracks and growth of shoots. This disease begins with the formation on leaves, young shoots and petioles of harmless, at first glance, angular small (1.5–5 mm) watery dark spots, which soon turn dark purple. Moreover, leaves are affected at all ages and in the case of severe manifestations of bacteriosis, they fall off quite quickly. Then the spots on the branches become oblong, crack, and then in their place brown swellings and swellings form. This disease does not affect flowers and berries.

Bacteriosis of barberry

If bacteriosis appears at the top of the shoot, then it’s not so bad. You just need to trim off the affected section of the shoot. In this case, it is necessary to capture a slightly healthy part of the stem. If bacteriosis has developed in the lower part of the shoot adjacent to the trunk, then most likely the entire bush is doomed to death. Having removed diseased fragments of barberry, it is necessary to burn them, and treat the plant itself with Bordeaux mixture or another preparation containing copper.

Barberry growing near fields with cereals is usually infected with rust. This disease affects leaves. Small orange spots appear on their upper side, and red swellings (pustules) appear on the lower side. With severe infection, barberry leaves gradually dry out and then fall off. This disease must be combated by collecting and subsequently destroying the affected leaves, as well as treating the bushes three times with one percent solutions of copper-containing preparations (Bordeaux mixture, cuproxate) or colloidal sulfur. If the disease is at an early stage, it can be overcome. But if it has spread throughout the entire plant, then it will have to be completely destroyed, otherwise there is a high risk of infection and subsequent death of neighboring bushes and other crops nearby.

Wilting (tacheomycosis) occurs when a fungus from the genus Phasarium spreads through barberry. The disease manifests itself in premature wilting and drying of leaves, after which they fall off. It starts on one side of the bush and sequentially but quickly spreads to the entire plant. Barberry can only be saved by timely, short-term pruning of already affected parts of the crop, before the disease covers the entire bush and spreads to neighboring plants. Then all plantings must be treated with a one percent solution of copper oxide chloride or Bordeaux mixture.

Leaf spotting. The fungus that causes this disease rarely affects barberry. However, the harm it causes is expressed not only in the loss of the decorative appearance of the bush, but also in the disruption of biochemical processes, which leads to poor ripening of the shoots, which is why they can freeze in winter. Symptoms of infection with this disease are spots of various shapes and colors that form on the leaves. The foliage is first disfigured, and then dries out and falls off. This fungus must be combated by treating the bushes with an aqueous solution of copper oxide chloride (30–40 g of the drug per 10 liters of liquid).

An integral part of care is pest and disease control

All plants are susceptible to disease and need protection from pests. And barberry is no exception in this regard. He has “personal enemies” who attack only him, as well as those who also attack other cultures and are transferred from them. Diseases and pests can attack barberry not only in spring or summer, but also in autumn. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor his condition and, if necessary, treat him at this time of year.

Among the pests barberry can be affected by insects such as:

barberry aphid;
flower moth;
leaf roller;
barberry sawfly.

The barberry aphid settles on the leaves and draws juice from them. As a result, the affected foliage begins to wither and soon dries out and wrinkles. This is a clear sign of aphids. You can fight it in several ways. In order to prevent the appearance of aphids, the plant should be sprayed with a solution obtained by dissolving solid or diluting liquid laundry soap in water in a ratio of 300 g per 10 liters, respectively.

Protection against barberry aphids

If this pest has already appeared on barberry, then the bushes need to be sprayed with Fitoverm with a concentration of active substances of 2 g/l (0.2%). If necessary, the treatment can be repeated 2-3 more times with an interval of 3-7 days. But usually once is enough. After treatment, aphids begin to die on the second or third day, and the maximum effect will be visible on the fifth to seventh day. Another remedy for barberry aphids, which is used both for the prevention and treatment of bushes already affected by it, is a solution obtained by mixing 100 g of laundry soap and 250 g of shag in 5 liters of water.

The flower moth “attacks” only the fruiting barberry; it does not touch the decorative ones. It eats the plant's berries from the inside. The already mentioned above Fitoverm will help to overcome the moth. It should be used the same way. Another way to combat moths is to treat the bushes with a 1–3% chlorophos solution.

The leaf roller feeds on leaves. And not only barberry, but also other trees and shrubs, including non-fruit ones. It mainly damages the upper leaves of shoots and branches. This is manifested in the folding of leaves. If the damage to the bush by the leaf roller is local, then it is better to cope with it without the use of chemicals. It is necessary to carefully, so that the pest does not escape, tear off all the affected leaves and twigs, and then burn them along with the contents. In case of significant areas of bite damage, which, of course, is better not to wait, it is necessary to use the same Fitoverm or other chemicals.

The barberry sawfly is still rare, but it can leave a bush without leaves in a few weeks. Actually, it is not the caterpillar itself that causes harm, but its larvae. They can be found on the underside of leaves, which is why they need to be inspected regularly. Found larvae should simply be removed and destroyed. If necessary, you can spray the bushes with a pyrethrum-based composition. A 1–3% chlorophos solution is also suitable. In extreme cases, you will have to use synthetic pesticides.

Curly trimming

Although barberry is very thorny, it is easy to form. The type of crown depends entirely on the owner’s imagination - you can form a ball, a pyramid, a column or some kind of geometric figure.

Photo gallery: various forms of barberry bush

The required number of trunks will depend on the purpose of the bush. A small number of powerful trunks will be enough if the bush is single. If a hedge is formed from barberry, the number of shoots should correspond to its length and width.

To maintain a given width, it is necessary to remove all trunks growing to the side at the root

To give the barberry bush any specific shape during spring pruning, you need to greatly shorten all annual growths to a length of 5–6 cm. Try to immediately give the contour of the bush the planned shape. During the season, the plant is allowed to form new growth freely. Then, for 3–4 years, the bush is trimmed 2 times a year (before buds open and as growth lengthens). As soon as young shoots reach a length of 8–10 cm, they are shortened by half.

Rectangular or trapezoidal shapes are suitable for forming hedges.

It should be borne in mind that each plant has a tendency towards a certain form. Without pruning, barberry grows in the form of a spreading, disheveled ball. And when cutting, the easiest way is to give it a cone shape.

Of course, out of habit, it is very difficult to trim a bush to a geometric shape. Therefore, it is better to stock up on a template. It is quite possible to make the template yourself. To do this, draw the required contour on some flat surface (for example, on asphalt) and bend a thick wire template along it.

To create a spherical crown, make a template from wire - a semicircle on a “leg”

Then the finished template is inserted into the center of the bush, lightly sticking it into the ground and twisting it around its axis. At the same time, all shoots protruding beyond the contour of the template are cut off.

Using a wire template, you can give the bush a spherical shape

To form a cube or ball, a frame of slats can help, which limit the required dimensions of the bush.

If you create a slatted frame around the bush, you can easily trim it to the desired shape

Thus, if you have simple devices and a certain amount of imagination, you can decorate your site with beautiful bushes of various shapes (and if different varieties of barberry are planted, then also in color).

Recommendations

Even though there are different types of haircuts, technically the whole process looks the same. The gardener prepares the necessary tools, carefully carries out pruning, and then processes the cuts. Usually a haircut is done using:

pruning shears (for small branches with a diameter of up to 3 cm);
lopper (for thicker shoots);
garden shears and hacksaws;
brush cutter (for forming a hedge).

Tools must be carefully sharpened. Before starting pruning, it is better to hold them for several minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or any fungicide.

It is convenient to trim barberry bushes with garden shears

While working, it is important to follow safety precautions:

Never point the cutting tool at yourself.
Wear gloves.
Do not immediately step into the thick of the bush.
Wear thick clothing to prevent the thorns from coming into contact with your body.
Eyes should be protected with goggles, as chips or thorns may fly off during operation.

After pruning, all branches are removed so that they do not clog the area. Wood chips can be used as mulch. The cut areas must be treated with an antiseptic to avoid infection and rotting. For this they use

garden var;
weak solution of potassium permanganate;
pharmaceutical greens;
crushed charcoal or activated carbon.

Then the plant is fed with a mixture of superphosphate and potassium salt in equal quantities (20–30 g per bush). If pruning is carried out in the spring, nitrogen fertilizing is also given (urea 20 g per bush). The most convenient way to purchase a ready-made mixture is a complex mineral fertilizer.

Attention! To trim tall bushes you will need a stepladder. It must be installed as securely as possible, eliminating swaying from side to side.

How to prune barberry

The procedure for pruning barberry depends on the purpose for which this technique is carried out. As a rule, 3 types of pruning are carried out annually: rejuvenating, sanitary, and shaping.

The purpose of sanitary pruning is to remove dry, diseased, underdeveloped branches. This event is considered the most important, since it allows you to protect the plant from possible infection by fungi and death from pests. It is recommended to carry out sanitary cleaning of the bush regularly twice a year. It is necessary to thin out the crown, trim old shoots and thin shoots to the base. Young shoots should not be touched; they must develop, be healthy, and long. After all, they influence the quantity and quality of the harvest. You can understand that barberry needs sanitary pruning by performing a visual inspection of the bush.
Anti-aging pruning of barberry is aimed at solving two problems: increasing the number of berries obtained and improving the decorative properties. In order to obtain a larger harvest, branches that are no longer bearing fruit are removed. The procedure must be transferred to strong branches that grow on the same basis. Anti-aging pruning should only be done on shrubs that are more than 10 years old. It is not recommended to carry out work when the first leaves have already appeared. Usually the rejuvenation process is carried out in the fall, before the first frost. Old shoots are cut off at the very root. Anti-aging pruning gives impetus to the appearance of young shoots.
Gentle formation of the barberry crown is accessible even to novice gardeners. In the first 4-5 years, while the bush is forming, you can forget about flowering and, accordingly, about fruits. Formative pruning is performed after the ovaries appear on the bush. For an adult barberry, a rejuvenation procedure is first carried out, and then they begin to shape the bush.

If desired, you can have a curly haircut twice during the summer, as the shoots grow. New shoots that reach 10 cm are halved. It is better to start forming with simple geometric shapes, gradually adding a level of complexity.

Pruning barberry in spring

Barberry branches are pruned, as a rule, in autumn or spring. It is preferable to perform the rejuvenating procedure before wintering the bush, after the dry leaves have fallen. Depending on the type of planting, the following preventive measures are taken:

Remove dry, diseased, broken shoots that have lost their decorative appearance. Thin out the crown of the bush. Branches that have not survived the winter well are pruned. Healthy branches are shortened.

Border plantings, hedges

Branches that grow close to the ground or protrude to the sides are trimmed. Regulate the number of shoots in the bush. Shorten annual growths by 6-8 cm.

Old shoots are shortened to the root. Thin, poorly developing branches are removed if the plant has grown greatly. In young shoots, only 1/3 of the length is left.

Border plantings, hedges

Pruning barberry in summer

It is not necessary to adhere to certain deadlines for pruning barberry. If there is a need to remove dry branches or trim the crown, then this can be done in the summer. The main thing is that the procedure is as useful as possible.

If necessary, prune shoots and leaves damaged by parasites. Remove wilted or infected shoots, as well as dry and yellow branches to preserve the decorative characteristics of barberry.

Border plantings, hedges

At the beginning of summer, the height and width are adjusted using templates. Shoots that extend beyond the specified limits are trimmed. After 2 months, the procedure is repeated to maintain shape.

Techniques and types of pruning

Before pruning barberry, you need to familiarize yourself with the algorithm of actions.

There are various techniques and types of haircuts for this:

Pruning young bushes. It is used in the fall (after spring planting) when forming a hedge, to give the barberry a branched or rounded shape.
Rejuvenating. It is used for pruning plants older than 12 years to give them a well-groomed appearance.
Wellness. Used for old and diseased plants. This pruning is carried out constantly to remove disease-damaged branches and thin out the crown.
Formative. Used to give the barberry bush an original, fashionable and beautiful look.

Pruning a young bush

It is advisable to carry out all manipulations during the waning moon. From a plant planted in spring, all weak branches are removed, only strong ones are left, shortening them to the first large bud. Over the summer, the seedling will get stronger and grow.

When forming a hedge from young plants, the number of strong shoots in the bush should be equal to the width of the border. All other procedures are the same as when cutting single plants.

Anti-aging pruning

When the plant reaches the age of 10-12 years, it is necessary to do anti-aging pruning. It will have a good effect on fruiting, and the plant can be given a new original shape.

Pruning barberry in the fall will be a good experience for beginning gardeners. First of all, remove all dry and old non-fruiting branches that take away the strength of the plant. They need to be cut close to the ground and treated with a thick solution of soot or tree paint. Cut out old shrub trunks at the base.

When the base has become regular and sparser, you need to cut out weak young branches at the root. If the bush is still dense, it is necessary to remove some of the new shoots so that it is well ventilated. Now you can begin to form the crown of the plant, shortening strong young shoots by a quarter, to large buds.

Anti-aging pruning is a lot of stress for barberry. To reduce it, treatment can be carried out in 2 stages: autumn and spring. Autumn pruning of barberry will increase fruiting next season.

Healthy pruning

If the barberry bush is old and sick, it needs to be pruned. This can save him from death and give him a second life. Old diseased branches require more nutrition, taking it away from young ones. They are susceptible to various diseases, especially fungi, and infect healthy branches.

Let's look at how to properly restore a bush. All old, outdated shoots, trunks, dry and diseased branches should be removed, cutting them at the root. Such plants are heavily overgrown with many young weak shoots, which are also cut out at the base of the bush.

The bush needs to be thinned out well. This is also a sanitary pruning for him. Now you can start trimming the crown, giving it the selected shape. After a health procedure, the bush does not look very attractive, but this is temporary.

Pruning to form a crown

If you prune common and cultivated barberry annually, you can preserve all its decorative qualities. Each variety has its own characteristic shape and when forming the crown you need to take it into account.

Many gardeners do not know how to prune barberry. Taking into account the peculiarities of vertical growth of branches, it can be given a columnar or cone-shaped shape. It is necessary to remove excess trunks and trim young shoots in accordance with the chosen solution. In the future, with annual pruning, the shape should be maintained.

In modern landscape design, cultivated varieties of barberry are given different shapes: cube, sphere, hemisphere, animals. In order to obtain the chosen figure, annual branches of the bush need to be cut no higher than 5-6 cm, immediately giving them the chosen shape. For 3-4 years in autumn or spring (maybe 2 times a year), young branches on them are cut off as soon as they reach a height of 10 cm.

To facilitate formation, you can use a colored plastic mesh of the selected shape and put it on the bush. In the future, only branches that extend beyond the mesh, that are poorly developed and diseased should be trimmed.

Simple varieties of barberry initially have their own original shape. The branches from below grow in a bunch vertically, and from above they form the shape of a spreading ball. The natural shape of the plant is suitable for creating a crown in the form of a hemisphere. Therefore, only minor branch removal needs to be done.

Is pruning necessary?

Caring for barberry in the garden includes pruning. Many novice gardeners do not understand whether this procedure is mandatory or not. This largely depends on the type of pruning itself:

sanitary cleaning should be done every year so that the plant does not waste energy and nutrients on dried or painful branches;
shaping is done solely at the request of the gardener and his plans for the shrub;
Anti-aging is recommended to improve the decorative qualities of the bush.

Barberry in open ground

Depending on the gardener’s plans, it is worth deciding in which cases pruning is required and in which cases it can be avoided. Without proper care, ordinary barberry will quickly spread throughout the entire area due to the possibility of reproduction through root suckers.

Important! When pruning, it is necessary to protect your hands from sharp thorns. To do this, you need to prepare thick gloves.

It is recommended to sharpen the tool well (it is advisable to use one with long handles and thick blades), since the branches are quite strong.

What problems might you encounter?

Barberry tolerates even anti-aging pruning well. It recovers quickly and continues to bear fruit. But beginning gardeners face difficulties:

when pruning, burrs remain, leading to rotting of the core of the shoots;
stumps are formed, which after a few years give rise to hollows;
Too drastic rejuvenation surgery slows down the growth of barberry.

When pruning a plant for the first time, you should not rush: it is better to divide the procedure into 2-3 stages.

Care after pruning

Health-improving and rejuvenating pruning for barberry in the fall is painful, so you need to carefully treat the plant against pests, intensive watering and fertilizing.

After any pruning, you need to remove all branches, leaves and weeds (if any) from the tree trunk and burn them. Carefully dig up the soil under the bush so as not to damage the roots, make protective rollers to prevent water from spreading, and water well.

Having carefully examined the plants, they need to be treated with a 50% solution of soot, which will rid the crown of caterpillars, sawflies, flower moths, their eggs and larvae. A 20% mustard solution will clean the branches of the plant from fungus, rust, powdery mildew, and leaf spot. When treating a bush with these preparations, it is necessary to water the ground underneath it to kill the spores of pathogenic bacteria in the ground.

After pruning, which is difficult for barberry, it needs to be given increased nutrition. For the winter, the plant must be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which are abundant in wood ash, soot, and peat. Rotted straw will enrich it with many microelements.

Before the onset of frost, the tree trunk circle can be sown with mustard seeds, which will germinate early with the onset of spring. It will suppress spores of any fungal diseases. After sowing, the ground under the plant should be mulched with straw. This treatment will have a positive effect on the flowering and fruiting of barberry next season.

Plants weakened by severe pruning must be carefully prepared for wintering. When stable frosts set in, the barberry branches should be easily tied together with wire and covered on top with burlap or matting so that the plant can breathe. Cover the trunk circles 5-7 cm with rotted sawdust, straw, and spruce branches.

It is good to sow bentgrass under the barberry, which will protect the soil from drying out and serve as fertilizer. Large and small colored decorative stones laid out on the grass will look good.

Thanks to annual pruning, the decorative and cultural qualities of barberry can be preserved for a long time. Using different varieties and carefully caring for them will turn any area of the garden, especially in autumn, into a fairy tale.

How to feed the bush

After spring pruning, barberry needs nitrogen. For each adult plant, you need to add a bucket of mature compost or rotted manure. It is recommended to distribute organic matter evenly around the tree trunk. Gardeners organize liquid fertilizing with fermented grass. To do this, dilute 1 liter of infusion in 10 liters of water and water the bush.

After sanitary summer or formative autumn pruning, the plant needs to be given potassium and phosphorus. The sources of these elements are inert flour and stove ash. If there is a shortage of components, mineral complex fertilizers are used.

When decorative pruning, the plant is given liquid foliar fertilizer. An infusion of fermented grass or a ready-made complex fertilizer (potassium humate) is suitable.

How to care for large cuts

It is unacceptable to leave sections larger than 0.7 cm unprocessed. Fungal spores or pathogenic bacteria penetrate into wounds. Infected barberry will have to be treated.

To prevent such problems, it is recommended to seal the cuts immediately. Suitable:

garden varnish (layer thickness no more than 1 mm);
Oil paint;
garden antiseptic;
brilliant green solution.

Properly processed cuts quickly become overgrown with bark, hollows are not formed, and the wood does not rot.

Rules for planting barberry

It is best to plant barberry in early spring, immediately after the soil thaws. However, the seedlings must be planted before the buds open. Sometimes planting is carried out in the fall, during heavy leaf fall.

Due to its unpretentiousness to environmental conditions, barberry grows well in open areas, as it can withstand drafts and strong winds well. This shrub can also grow in partial shade, but some species produce brighter colors in full sun. Regarding the soil, barberry feels more comfortable in neutral soil, but it can still withstand some deviations in the composition of the soil.

If you plant barberry individually, the distance between the bushes should be about two meters. If you plan to plant a hedge, then you need to plant a couple of bushes per linear meter. Holes for planting must be dug a couple of weeks before planting, approximately 40 by 40; a trench 40 cm deep is made for the fence. To access more air to the roots, a layer of sand is placed at the bottom of the holes or trenches.

If the composition of the soil deviates from neutral, then it is brought back to normal using various methods. After lowering the seedling into the hole, sprinkle it with soil, press it down, and provide good watering. After all this, it is necessary to mulch the tree trunk circle. The above-ground part of the seedling is cut off, leaving only a part with three to five good buds.

Why is barberry pruning important?

Why you need to prune shrubs:

Without crown formation, this thorny shrub takes on an untidy shape.
And picking berries from such plants is problematic: you have to protect your hands with gloves. And pests and fungal spores can overwinter on the remaining fruits.
A well-formed bush decorates the site. Several plants planted in a row can serve as a hedge. But without timely intervention, the gardener risks getting painful scratches.

You cannot start pruning the bush: it is quite difficult to form a thickened crown.

What tools are needed?

All plants have the ability to grow. Without careful pruning, your site will turn into a continuous impenetrable forest. Especially if barberry bushes grow on it. To tackle the pruning task easily, you need to have the right tools on hand. To properly care for a garden, a responsible gardener must have a number of tools:

lopper;
brush cutter;
hacksaw;
pruner;
scissors.

Of course, all tools must be in perfect condition. Here you should rely on certain requirements.

The tool must be of high quality and withstand loads.
All units should not be too heavy, and they should also have a bright appearance (provided by color design).
Cutting objects should have narrow ends. Then you can get to the very base of the plant.

Now let's move on to looking at each garden item and its purpose.

A tool used to remove branches that are about 30mm thick is called a pruner. These products come with double-sided and single-sided sharpening.
A hedge trimmer is used for pruning young plantings. Using this device, hedges are formed. Brush trimmers are available: electric, mechanical, petrol and battery-powered.
The lopper is considered a reinforced version of the pruner. Its difference is its long handles, allowing you to reach the most distant branches.
Hacksaws and saws are used for pruning.
It is very convenient to use garden shears with a long blade for pruning. A good alternative to them are metal scissors. They are suitable for trimming plantings and forming them into hedges.

Selection and preparation of tools

Barberry has many long and prickly thorns. To cut it you need to prepare the tools:

Garden scissors with long blades.
Metal scissors.
Sharp pruning shears with double-sided or single-sided sharpening.
Lopper with long handles.
Brush cutter mechanical or electric.
Electric scissors and chainsaws.
Gloves and jacket made of thick protective fabric.
A saturated solution of manganese or carbon black.
Garden var or special garden paint.

You need to purchase high-quality tools that are not heavy and can withstand loads. They should be brightly colored so that they are clearly visible among the branches.

All tools must be in good condition. Cutting elements with narrow ends will help you get to the very base of the plant. The blades must be sharpened at the correct angle. Dull and improperly sharpened tools injure branches and split them at the cut points.