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How to Care for a Red Barberry Bush
How to Care for a Red Barberry Bush. A red barberry bush is one of the simplest bushes to care for, making it popular among gardeners. The bush's beautiful red ball of flowers serve as an ideal hedge or natural fence. Fairly cold-resistant, barberry bushes grow their own thorns to keep animals from destroying them. Take proper care of your barberry...
A red barberry bush is one of the simplest bushes to care for, making it popular among gardeners. The bush's beautiful red ball of flowers serve as an ideal hedge or natural fence. Fairly cold-resistant, barberry bushes grow their own thorns to keep animals from destroying them. Take proper care of your barberry bush and it can beautify your garden for years to come.
Things You'll Need
Bush
Shovel or hoe
Organic materials
Hose or watering can
Fertilizer
Pruning shears
Purchase a bush from a reputable garden center or nursery.Before buying, inspect it for signs of insect infestation or mold growth. Plant only healthy plants in your garden.
Choose an area of your garden to plant the bush. Barberry bushes thrive in direct sunlight. Allow enough room for the bush to reach its full size; barberry bushes can grow 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide.
Mix organic material such as peat or compost into your soil to improve drainage. Red barberry bushes are easily damaged by over-watering, and therefore need soil that drains very well.
Dig a hole that is three times wider than the bush's root ball, but no deeper than the soil in the bush's current container. Place the bush in the hole.
Fill the hole halfway with soil, then compact the soil with your shovel to remove any air bubbles. Finish filling the hole and compact again.
Water the plant until the soil is thoroughly moist. Water twice per week in the same way to keep the plant from drying out.
Fertilize the bush a month after planting, once the roots have had a chance to spread out. Use a general purpose fertilizer, as the bush will benefit from most types of fertilizer. If you are unsure about a product, consult with an expert at a garden center or nursery.
Fertilize with the same fertilizer in early spring and later summer each year.
Prune dead branches or extraneous branches as necessary throughout the year to keep the plant healthy.
Tips & Warnings
Red barberry bushes grow best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 through 8, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. These zones have an average annual minimum temperature between minus 20 and 20 degrees F.
Avoid watering after a rain storm. If the soil is already wet with rain, do not water again or you can damage the plant.
