Green Barberry Hedge Plants

Growing Berberis thunbergii plants:
Berberis thunbergii will grow well in any soil, including heavy clay and chalk, as long as the site has decent drainage conditions. It is quite shade tolerant and should do well in dappled shade underneath big trees. It will grow near to the coast and in polluted urban areas.
They will not grow well if the site is in full shade or if the soil is prone to waterlogging.

Prepare your site before planting:
It is good to dig over the area where you plant a hedge several months in advance, especially if the soil is poor. Destroy the weeds first: nettles, brambles and ground elder are tough and a glyphosate-based weed-killer is the best way to remove them. Then dig the soil over; remove rocks, roots and other rubbish. Mix in well-rotted compost or manure down to the depth of about 2 spades. If your soil is rich, you don't have to dig it over, but killing all the weeds is still necessary.

Watch our video on how to plant a garden hedge for full details. The plants in this video are delivered pot-grown, but planting out bareroot stock is essentially the same.
Remember to water establishing plants during dry weather for at least a year after planting.

Hedge Planting Accessories:
Prepare your site for planting by killing the weeds and grass with Roundup weed killer.
You can buy a hedge planting pack with sheets of mulch fabric and pegs to hold it down.
Rabbits and/or deer are not likely to go for berberis, so your plants should not need protection.
We always recommend using Rootgrow when planting trees and shrubs.

After you have planted your Berberis thunbergii hedge, the most important thing to do is water it in dry weather. You will also need to weed around the plants. Watering should be thorough, so the ground is soaked. Let the soil almost dry out before watering again. Watering & weeding will be necessary for at least a year after planting.

Trimming Formal hedge plants:
Berberis thunbergii is naturally bushy, so it doesn't need any clipping at all in its first year. In the winter of the year after planting, your young hedge should be trimmed once, lightly, and then once every winter after that until it is mature.
When it is fully grown, you can clip it at anytime.

Special notes on caring for Berberis thunbergii hedges:
Berberis thunbergii is a tough hedge plant that shouldn't need special attention once it has established. If you didn't use a mulch fabric, it is beneficial to mulch around the base of the hedge each year with well rotted manure or compost.

Hygiene & Diseases:
Dead, damaged or diseased wood can be pruned off as soon as it appears.
Disinfect your pruning tools between every cut if there is any sign of disease.
Burn or dispose of any diseased material, do not compost it.