Growing ornamental shrubs is a simple and quite exciting procedure, because when forming a bush you can realize your most cherished desires. Cultivating the Ottawa Superba barberry is not difficult; planting and care do not require much effort, and the result is a beautiful shrub.
General characteristics of Ottawa barberry
All varieties of barberry are grown most often for decoration purposes.The shrub reaches its main decorative value in the 6-8th year of cultivation. The plant begins to flower in mid-May and lasts about 3 weeks. The barberry bush has small, yellow flowers with a reddish tint. To bear fruit, barberry requires insects for pollination.
Fruiting of the bush occurs in the 6th year of life, depending on the variety, it lasts from August to September. The yield of an adult shrub is 11-13 kg. The fruits may hang until the beginning of winter. The lifespan of barberry is up to 50 years. With proper care, the bush bears fruit for about 40 years.
Pros and cons of the variety
The advantages of this type of barberry shrub include:
- increased growth rate, annual growths grow up to 35 cm long;
- unpretentiousness, the plant adapts well to different types of soil;
- resistant to drought, low light;
- rarely affected by harmful insects;
- rapid recovery of the plant after mechanical damage;
- with proper care and shelter it grows in the northern regions.
There is one disadvantage to this variety: it is characterized by average winter hardiness. Accordingly, there is a possibility of partial freezing of young shoots of the bush.
Varieties of Ottawa bush
Bred in Canada by crossing Thunberg barberries and the Ordinary variety. The natural habitat of the bush is along rivers, ravines, forests.
Auricoma
During the growing season, a neat compact plant is formed, reaching a height of 1.7 to 2.4 m. Large leaf blades of the shrub, after blooming, acquire a dark red color, and as autumn approaches they change to lighter orange shades.
Superba
Superba can reach a height of 2.4 to 2.9 m.The leaf blades have a dark red or purple color with a bluish tint.
Silver Miles
A spreading shrub, reaching a height of 2.1 to 2.7 m. The leaves of barberry are purple with a silvery tint.
Landing
The ideal option for cultivating barberry is to purchase a 2-3-year-old seedling. It is advisable to do this in a specialized store.. The main characteristic of the quality of a seedling is that the root system must be at least 25 cm long, without signs of rot or mechanical injuries.
30 days before planting the barberry bush, it is important to dig up the area and clear it of weeds. Particular attention is paid to soil nutrition; it is necessary to add: potassium salt, superphosphate, compost or manure, lime (if the soil is characterized by excessive acidity).
The distance between plants is selected based on the purpose of planting. If it is necessary to form a dense hedge from living shrubs, 4 seedlings are planted per meter segment, for a more sparse planting - two seedlings.
To disembark you need:
- form a hole 40 by 40 cm;
- add a layer of fertile soil to the bottom;
- add fertilizer (slurry, potassium salt, ash), mix with soil;
- water;
- Place a barberry seedling in the middle of the hole so that the root collar does not deepen, taking into account subsequent shrinkage, it is located 3-4 cm above the ground plane;
- cover with fertile soil, compact, mulch with a layer of peat, chopped straw, and humus.
It is allowed to plant the bush in the spring before the buds swell, when the soil has thoroughly warmed up. In barberry, the growing season begins early; therefore, when planted in the spring, it is more difficult to take root. More favorable autumn planting, 25-30 days before the onset of frost.During this period, the plant’s root system will undergo adaptation and hardening, which will significantly increase winter hardiness.
Further care of the plant
Compliance with the requirements for caring for a barberry bush is the key to the successful development of the plant.
Priming
This variety is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but is sensitive to excess moisture. Accordingly, the presence of groundwater is taken into account; it must pass no closer than 2 m. Otherwise, it is recommended to lay out a high-quality drainage layer.
Location
The shrub loves areas with sufficient lighting, protected from draft winds. It grows well in shaded areas, but the color saturation of the leaves is reduced.
Watering
Watering the plant is carried out after each fertilizer and once every 7 days in dry weather. One bush needs, depending on age, from 6 to 9 liters. After the watering procedure, it is important to tidy up the mulch. Last watering barberry carried out in the autumn period 14-16 days before the onset of frost.
Top dressing
Nutrition after planting must be done in the spring of the next season. To stimulate vegetation, it is recommended to add urea at the rate of 35 g per 10 liters of liquid. Then it is fed with nitrogen every fourth year.
For abundant flowering and good ripening of new branches, it is necessary to feed them with organic matter: 1 kg of rotted manure, pour 3 liters of liquid and leave for three days. Next, dilute in the proportion: 1 (infusion) to 3 (water). To strengthen it before winter, it is necessary to add 13 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate.
Trimming
Since the barberry bush is an ornamental plant, pruning is necessary to maintain a decent appearance, and annually. It has two goals:
- Stimulation of the growth of new shoots, whose leaf plates are better decorative.
- Sanitation: necessary to eliminate unnecessary stress on the plant, prevent the spread of diseases, and damage from harmful insects.
Autumn pruning is sanitary. It is carried out at the moment the bush enters the dormant stage, as a rule, 15 days before the onset of the first frost. Considering the region of growth, these periods range from the end of September to the end of November.
Need to remove:
- old dried branches;
- damage by pests or diseases;
- ugly intertwined branches;
- shoots that direct their growth to the center of the crown.
It is important to coat large cuts with garden varnish. Dispose of all cut parts. If the barberry bush grows singly, then the formation of a beautiful crown is carried out naturally, as new branches grow upward. Accordingly, such shrubs only need sanitary pruning.
When barberry forms a hedge, systematic pruning is necessary. To do this, in the second year after planting, new branches need to be shortened by half, which will stimulate the thickening of the barberry. The barberry bush blooms on the growth of the previous season. Accordingly, so that branches with flower buds can grow, it is better to prune immediately after the barberry flowering process.
A similar haircut procedure is carried out in the following seasons, the growths on top and sides are shortened.
The plant is quite flexible to cutting, which allows you to realize various creative ideas: give the appearance of a ball, a triangle, or create a figure in several tiers. But it is worth remembering that in the process of forming the crown with regular pruning, you can forget about the flowering of the bush.
Wintering
In the first winter season after planting, barberry needs thorough shelter. It is necessary to increase the thickness of the mulch to 10 cm. INTie the branches of the plant with a wide rope and cover with burlap or other material. In addition, it is recommended to cover it with spruce branches and rake up the snow.
Protection from diseases
The weak side of the barberry bush is fungal infections. These include powdery mildew and rust. Leaf plates are often affected, less often branches and fruit parts. To eliminate the disease, the following are used: “Vectra”, “Topaz”, “Fundazol”, copper sulfate, colloidal sulfur, Bordeaux mixture. Considering the degree of infection, 4-6 sprayings are carried out. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to treat the plant with fungicides every season.
Pest Control
Shrub infestation by pests occurs when a site is massively infested or when agricultural practices are not followed (excessive moisture, dense crown). Barberry is often affected by aphids. This pest feeds on the underside of leaves. With severe damage, the leaf plates dry out. For destruction they use: “Karbofos”, “Aktellik”, “Confidor”, “Bankol”.
Reproduction
Barberry propagation Ottawa variety occurs in the following ways, each of which is characterized by its pros and cons:
- Layering: Not all varieties of barberry produce layering.
- Dividing the bush: the risk of injury to the root system increases.
- Cuttings: adaptation and rooting occurs relatively slowly.
- By seeds: the germination rate of barberry bush seed material ranges from 20% to 40%; it is worth noting that the varietal characteristics of a new bush will not always be preserved.
Each gardener can choose the propagation method at his own discretion.
