A novice gardener will find useful information about methods of propagating barberry. The perennial shrub can be used to create a hedge. Ornamental bushes can be used in group plantings. With their help, it is possible to decorate unsightly areas of the yard and garden.
Recommended timing for propagation of the bush
Barberry is propagated by green cuttings in summer. In autumn and spring, gardeners use other methods:
- seeds;
- dividing the bush;
- layering;
- lignified cuttings and root shoots.
Methods and technology for propagating barberry
The ornamental shrub is propagated vegetatively and by seeds. To breed a certain variety of barberry, you need to familiarize yourself with all the methods. Based on the characteristics of the species, decide whether it can be propagated by cuttings, sown with seeds or using layering.
Root shoots
Mature shrubs produce shoots. Root shoots appear along the periphery of the bush from buds located on the roots. This is the easiest way to grow barberry. It is necessary to inspect the root zone. Dig up the found shoots and cut them off from the mother root. To grow new bushes, you need to plant the offspring in a prepared place and water them.
By layering
Not all types of barberry produce root shoots. Some need to be propagated by layering. For rooting, take the lower annual shoots. In the direction of growth of the branches, a shallow furrow is dug in the ground.
In the spring, the selected shoot is placed in it, fixed with staples, and sprinkled with a mixture of humus, sand, and garden soil.
By autumn, roots form on the layering. The following spring, the seedlings are separated from the mother bush. They are transplanted into a garden or school for growing. The first year they are protected from frost for the winter.
Woody cuttings
When propagated by woody cuttings, varietal seedlings are obtained. Their characteristics fully correspond to the mother bush. Branches can be taken from bushes no older than 10 years.
Annual, partially lignified shoots are suitable for cuttings. The middle part, 15 cm long, is cut out of the branch. 3-4 internodes should remain on it. The upper cut is made straight above the kidney.The lower one is oblique, at an angle of 30° under the kidney. Planting material is placed in a solution of a root formation stimulator. The cuttings are planted at an angle and deepened to 0.5 cm.
The soil in the nursery is prepared in advance:
- the first layer (15 cm) is filled with a mixture of humus, leaf soil, and compost;
- the second layer is sand (4 cm).
Planted according to a 5 x 10 cm pattern. The nursery is fenced with boards 20 cm high. The cuttings are watered. The greenhouse is covered with a frame with glass or film. It must be maintained at a temperature of at least 20 °C. Care comes down to daily watering (morning and evening) and airing.
Green cuttings
Boxes are used for planting. They are filled with peat mixed in equal proportions with sand. Cuttings are cut from the middle part of this year's shoot, their parameters are:
- length 10 cm;
- internodes 2;
- the lower oblique cut is located under the lower leaf;
- the upper cut is straight, located 2 cm above the top leaf.
No more than 2 leaves are left on the cuttings; they are shortened by half. They are planted at an angle. The box is covered with film. New leaves indicate rooting. In the fall, seedlings can be transplanted into a greenhouse for growing.
Dividing the bush
This method is not popular among gardeners. They resort to it in cases where the bush needs to be transplanted to another place. All shoots of the bush are cut off. Leave stumps no more than 30 cm high. The bush is dug up and removed from the ground. The rhizome is divided into parts with pruning shears. Each division should have 2-3 shoots and a sufficient number of roots. They can be planted in a place prepared in advance and watered.
Seeds
At home, varietal barberry is most easily propagated by seeds. Seedlings are obtained in this way only in the third year. They may lose varietal characteristics.
Preparing and planting seeds
In temperate climates, it is easier to sow seeds in the fall (from October 1 to October 15). Over the winter they will undergo stratification. It is necessary. During spring sowing it is organized artificially. The seeds are kept in the refrigerator for at least 3 months.
Barberry seeds remain viable for 2 years. To obtain them, it is recommended to collect fruits from bushes growing in well-lit areas. Stages of preparing planting material:
- seeds are cleared of pulp;
- rinse well with water;
- dried.
Germinating seeds at home
Growing barberry from seeds begins with preparing the ridge. Make them tall (20 cm). The rate of soil warming and its aeration depend on the altitude. The soil is filled with humus, mineral fertilizers are added to it, watered, furrows up to 3 cm deep are marked. An interval of 15 or 20 cm is maintained between them.
Seeds are laid out every 5 cm. Sand and compost are mixed to fill the furrows. They are pre-moistened. Cover the seeds with a layer of 3 cm. Spray the surface of the soil with a spray bottle. When sowing in winter, the bed is covered with a layer of mulch.
If seeds are sown at home, they are first stratified for at least 2 months. The container is filled with a mixture of peat, sand, humus, and garden soil. Sow the seeds according to a 5 x 15 cm pattern. Cover them with wet sand. The box is covered with film and lowered into the cellar for 2-3 months. Seeds need a temperature between 0 and 5 °C.
In January they take it out and place it on the south window. The soil is watered with a spray bottle, the mini-greenhouse is ventilated, and the film is removed after the sprouts appear. After the appearance of the second true leaf, the seedlings are planted in another box according to a 10 x 20 cm pattern or planted outside.
Transplantation into open ground
In the garden, a place is allocated for growing seedlings, the soil is fertilized with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. Seedlings are planted according to a 10 x 20 cm pattern. The soil is watered. At night they are protected from low temperatures with lutrasil. During the day, the first 2 weeks are protected from the sun.
For the winter, barberry is covered with spruce branches and lutrasil. You can start replanting to a new location only after 2 years. During seed propagation, about 40% of the seeds germinate.
The main mistakes when propagating barberry
It is not always possible to grow a barberry seedling. This is due to the mistakes gardeners make:
- when propagating barberry by dividing the bush, do not shorten the above-ground part, which severely injures the roots;
- they sow few seeds and do not provide proper care;
- when digging up root shoots, they leave few roots.
Barberry has many types and varieties. Each of them has its own developmental characteristics. The propagation method is chosen individually for each shrub.
