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Barberry Thunberg Darts Red Lady is a plant with decorative properties. It is valued for its unusual leaves that change color throughout the season. This variety has high winter hardiness and rarely gets sick.
Description of barberry Darts Red Lady
Barberry Thunberg is a species of the genus Barberry that grows naturally in the Far East. It is also grown in Europe and North America. The variety is planted in gardens and parks throughout Russia. The shrub grows successfully in the middle zone, the Urals and Siberia.
According to the description, Thunberg Darts Red Lady barberry is a deciduous shrub. The crown is wide and rounded. Plant height is from 1 to 1.5 m, crown size is up to 1.5 m. Growth is average, about 10 cm per year. The trunk and shoots have needles collected in bunches.
As can be seen in the photo, the branches of the Barberry Darts Red Lady variety are ribbed, arc-shaped, and reddish in color. In an adult bush, the branches become dark brown. The buds are ovoid, reddish in color. The leaves are small, rounded, located on petioles. The leaf blade reaches 2 cm in length and 1 cm in width.
Flowering of the Red Lady variety begins in the second half of May. The flowers are small, yellowish with red stripes and have a faint aroma. The foliage is purple in summer and turns orange-red in autumn. In autumn, small coral-colored fruits ripen. They remain on the shoots until spring.
Planting and care
The successful development of Thunberg barberry largely depends on compliance with the terms and rules of planting. A suitable place is prepared for the Red Lady variety, the structure and quality of the soil is improved. After planting, the barberry is provided with good care: watered, fertilized, and the crown is trimmed.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Barberry Thunberg prefers sunny areas. In the shade, the shrub of this variety develops slowly, and the foliage loses its rich color. It is best to choose a place on the west or south side, protected from the cold wind. Barberry is planted next to the house, fence or on the lawn. Shrubs form a hedge.
Barberry Darts grows in any soil, but it develops best in loamy soil. The basic requirements for soil are fertility, looseness, moisture and water permeability. If the soil on the site is too heavy, it can be improved with coarse river sand. Excess water in the soil is destructive for barberry.
Strong and healthy seedlings of the Red Lady variety are suitable for planting. They are assessed visually for the absence of mold, cracks and other damage. If the roots of the plant are overdried, they are kept in clean water for 5 - 6 hours. In order for barberry to take root better, a root formation stimulator is added to the water.
Planting barberry Thunberg Darts Red
Barberry Thurberga variety Red Lady is planted in late autumn, after leaf fall has passed. It takes several weeks for the seedling to take root before the weather gets cold. In regions with cold climates, planting of the variety is postponed until the next season. Barberries are kept in the cellar or buried on the site. Planting is carried out in the spring, until the buds on the trees swell.
Planting order for barberry Darts Red Lady:
- A hole with a diameter of 0.5 m is dug in the area. 1.5 m is left between the bushes. To grow a hedge, 2 bushes are placed per 1 m.
- Expanded clay drainage is placed at the bottom.
- To fill the pit, a substrate is prepared from fertile soil, humus and river sand.
- The hole is filled with soil and left for 3-4 weeks to allow the soil to shrink.
- Before planting the seedling, fertile soil is poured into the hole in the form of a hill.
- Barberry is placed on top, its root system is straightened and covered with earth.
- The soil is compacted and the seedling is watered with warm water.
After planting, Darts Red Lady barberry is pruned and 3 buds are left on the branches. To make the seedling take root faster, it is watered every 10 days with warm water. To prevent moisture from evaporating, add humus or peat.
Watering and fertilizing
Barberry variety Darts Lady is an unpretentious shrub. It is watered only in severe drought. The rest of the time, precipitation is sufficient for the crop. A layer of humus or peat is poured into the tree trunk circle. Take warm or settled water: it is poured under the root. Periodically loosen the soil and weed weeds.
The culture responds well to fertilizing. In the first years, the Thunberg variety seedlings only need fertilizer applied during planting. In the future, it is best to use organic matter.In the fall, dig up the soil under the bush and add compost.
During the season, the Thunberg bush of the Darts variety is fed according to the following scheme:
- in early spring, mullein infusion is applied under the bush;
- in June, water the barberry with a solution of superphosphate and potassium sulfate (30 g of each substance per 10 liters of water);
- in late autumn, fertilize with wood ash or superphosphate.
Mineral complexes are suitable for feeding Thunberg barberry. Choose special fertilizers for ornamental shrubs. They contain all the necessary substances.
Trimming
By pruning, the crown of barberry Thunberg Darts Red is formed. It is carried out in the spring before the sap flows near the trees. It is allowed to prune the bush in the fall, when the leaves have fallen. Be sure to eliminate weak, frozen and dry shoots. Anti-aging treatment involves removing old branches growing inside the crown.
For hedges, formative pruning is performed. The shoots are cut to 1/3 of their length. Young bushes are pruned annually, adults - every six months.
Preparing for winter
Thunberg barberry is resistant to winter frosts. Occasionally shoots freeze and are removed in the spring. In order for the Darts Red Lady bush to better withstand the winter, preparation is carried out in late autumn. The soil is watered with warm water. Wet soil freezes worse and protects the roots from the cold. The soil is mulched with humus or peat.
Young Thunberg barberry is covered with agrofibre. A wooden frame is installed over the seedlings and covering material is attached to it. It is not recommended to use polyethylene, which does not allow air and moisture to pass through. In the spring, after the temperature rises, the shelter is removed.
Reproduction
Methods for propagating barberry Thunberg Darts Lady:
- Seeds. The most time-consuming option. First, the seeds of the Darts Red Lady variety are collected, which ripen into fruits. Of these, only 15 - 40% have germination. The shell of the seeds is cut and planted in the ground in the fall. In spring, shoots appear. After 2 years, Thunberg seedlings can be transplanted to the desired location.
- Cuttings. Branches 15 cm long are cut off from the Thunberg Lady shrub. Lignified shoots or green annual cuttings are selected. The branches are kept in a solution of a growth stimulator, and then planted in boxes with soil. When the cuttings take root, they are transferred to an open area.
- By layering. In the spring, a long strong branch is selected from the Thunberg barberry. It is secured with staples and covered with earth. The cuttings are watered and fed throughout the season. In autumn, the seedling is separated from the bush and planted.
- Dividing the bush. The method is convenient when transplanting Thunberg barberry. The rhizome is divided into parts with a knife, and the sections are treated with charcoal. The Red Lady variety is propagated by dividing the bush in autumn and spring.
Diseases and pests
The variety is resistant to diseases and pests. With high humidity, the crop may suffer from fungal diseases: spotting, powdery mildew, rust. Spotting looks like dark spots on the leaf blade. Gradually the foliage dries out and falls off. A solution of copper oxychloride is effective against the disease. Measure 30 g of the substance per 10 liters of water and spray the barberry leaves.
Powdery mildew has the appearance of a whitish coating that appears on the leaves and shoots of the Darts Lady variety. A solution of colloidal sulfur is used to treat the disease. Signs of rust are orange spots on the leaf plate. There are fungal spores on the back of the leaves. The disease develops quickly, which leads to the leaves drying out and falling off.To combat rust, Bordeaux mixture is used for spraying.
Barberry Darts Red attracts aphids and moths. Aphid colonies live at the top of the shoots, where the leaves curl, and feed on the sap of the bush. The moth feeds on plant fruits that fall prematurely. Pests cause damage to decorative properties and inhibit the development of the bush. To combat insects, insecticides Actellik or Iskra are used. Among the folk remedies, spraying the bush with an infusion of tobacco dust is effective.
Conclusion
Barberry Thunberg Darts Red Lady is an ornamental plant that will decorate any garden. It is grown in regions with different climates. The plant requires a minimum of care, is little susceptible to diseases and does not freeze in winter. The variety is grown throughout Russia.
