Planting barberry at their summer cottage and caring for it

The word "barberry" is often associated with sweet and sour tasting lollipops, they were also called "barberry". Barberry is a shrub of the barberry family. It is quite often used in garden plots as an ornamental plant. This is reflected in a large number of different colors, textures, sizes. These shrubs can be used for both curbs and hedges. It is easy for them to be given any shape, but they do not look pretty bad either.
The fruits of barberry are not only suitable for food, but also very useful.

Barberry description

The birthplace of barberry is the Crimea and the Caucasus. There is an assumption that it comes from Africa.

Since ancient times, barberry has been used for medicinal purposes.
The barberry bush reaches four meters. On its branches there are hard triple thorns and bunches of leaves. Part of the leaves, over time, are transformed into thorns. It blooms in yellow. Fruits in red, longish-rounded berries.
The shrub itself and unripe berries are considered poisonous. This is a consequence of the presence of alkaloids in the barberry. There are no poisonous shrubs, but, in this case, they are still low toxic.

Ripe fruits may or may not be edible. Edibles taste sour.
Barberry is considered frost-resistant, not afraid of the southern heat. He, also, is not afraid of drought and does not like a large amount of moisture. He loves sunlight, but will also withstand partial shade (in this case, the yield will be minimal or zero). Easily takes root on slopes. It can grow both in the city and in the wild forest.

Barberry properties

This berry is not only tasty, but also healthy.
Shrub Benefits:
- A beautiful, ornamental plant with fruits;
- Ideal for green hedges;
- Berries with good taste;
- The wood of such a shrub is very hard and valuable (shoe nails are made from it, as well as various products);
- Dyes (used for dyeing fabric, leather, paper);
- Useful properties of fruits.

A useful substance in barberry is the alkaloid berberine, which is also a poison. Therefore, the most important thing in its use is the correct dosage and recipe. Berberine is used for the production of drugs for diseases of the gallbladder and cancer. It is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Barberry is considered a diaphoretic, hemostatic.
The leaves and bark of the bush are insisted and used for diseases of the kidneys and liver.
In addition to all this, barberry contains many vitamins, especially E, organic acids, minerals and alkaloids.
Also, it is a spice for cooking various dishes.

Planting barberry

It is best to plant the barberry in a poorly passable place, since the bush is quite prickly.
The plant is bad for alkaline soils. Acid will be able to tolerate, but neutral is most preferable.

The shrub is planted in the autumn or spring. When planting in the fall, the leaves are completely removed from the seedling, and planted before leaf fall, presumably September. In the spring, barberry is planted in open ground, before the buds awaken. During this period, a seedling purchased from a specialized store can be planted without waiting, on a cloudy day.

Saplings are planted in a hole measuring 40 by 40 by 40 (respectively depth, width, length). In the event that the roots are branched, the size of the pit can be increased, but the depth remains the same.

Before planting, the soil can be fertilized with humus, and wait for it to settle (preferably two weeks, at least five days). For better moisture retention, the top of the plant is mulched.

Growing and caring for barberry

Barberry bush care is pretty standard:

- Loosening. It is necessary to do it first, until the seedling gets stronger. It is important, in this case, not to damage the roots on the soil surface.
- Getting rid of weeds.

- Watering. Periodic in the beginning, then rare. Barberry does not like high humidity, but during a drought period, watering is necessary, in an amount of about three times.

- Fertilizer. In the first year, feeding is not necessary. In the second, complete mineral fertilizer is applied. During the budding period, nitrogen must be excluded (in the event that a crop is needed). For barberry, three dressings per season are enough. Fertilizer is diluted with water and applied at the root.

- Cropping. If it is not carried out, the bush will run wild and lose its decorative appearance, and it will not bear fruit. By trimming the bush, you can give it any shape.

- Removing sprouted. This must be done, since, otherwise, barberry can quickly fill a fairly large space. Also, thanks to this, you can easily get a new plant.

With proper care, barberry will delight you with its beauty and delicious fruits for a long time.

Photo of barberry