TommyHallahan
Yamadori
So I was hoping one of yous might be able to share with me some wisdom regarding refinement techniques commonly used on berberis
Barberry
- Thread starter TommyHallahan
- Start date
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
My contribution to the wisdom would be to make sure you cut off all the thorns before you work on them. I've also learned they do not like to be over watered.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
I took one growing understory from the farm in 2014. This year after cutting it back a lot several times over the years it has just now acclimated to Full East Sun - picky but tough and it did survive nicely BUT in the ground...
I find a light weight pair of leather gloves is sufficient when trimming as I normally am pretty cautious and use a soft touch anyways.
This one gets a fertilizer in the Spring as all our landscape (for now
) do, nothing else but normal rain. The first year I treated it like a new shrub watering in weekly and it HATED it setting it back at least a year.I am pretty certain from most of what I have seen they can make an impressive Literati - still have not had a chance to even try though
Grimmy
stevek
Sapling
been in the works for three or four years. a lot of major pruning , then green branch wiring and pruning. can't work the harden ones to good, very brittle. had it in a show this april, now a lot of people are going to try barberry. I put it in my friends 50* greenhouse in march to force the leaves for the show.
Attachments
wsteinhoff
Shohin
On mine I haven't been able to get any ramification in the branches at all. The leaves also grow so dense and need thinned periodically or the interior growth dies. At least backbudding is no issue at all.
stevek
Sapling
like my old owl in the tree? sk.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
I let mine shoot in spring, prune back to two nodes and remove foliage in late spring. It should sprout leaves all over, assuming it is healthy.
TommyHallahan
Yamadori
SK, that's pretty sweet, nice work.
I thought I read something recently about stripping the leaves, I understood that to mean defoliation, did I understand that right? Is it a common practice/ something that the tree could take?
I thought I read something recently about stripping the leaves, I understood that to mean defoliation, did I understand that right? Is it a common practice/ something that the tree could take?
TommyHallahan
Yamadori
I meant to put pictures on this post when I put it up, but it seems it I forgot. Will do so ASAP
TommyHallahan
Yamadori
leatherback
The Treedeemer
In general yes. In your situation: The tree does not need defoliation, as it is not full of foliage. I assume you also want growth a bit lower. I would let it grow, get strong and trim back hard.
stevek
Sapling
I agree with leatherback, you can wire the new growth into shape and let them grow and harden, you can always trim back hard. they sprout usually everywhere. with your knob cutter, try and knibble out the concave cuts better to get a smoother healover. sk.
