Help me save my Japanese barberry!!!!!

I have this barberry that was here when i moved in and was only about 2 feet tall and suddenly it sprouted to a very large size and we decided it was to big for the area and finally moved it to an area that is much more suitable for it........ I think maybe i didnt dig enough of the root or something..... i have no experience in moving bushes or trees. The hubby was too busy so myself and a friend decided to take it upon ourselves and i am afraid we may have killed it..... It was getting a healthy leaf here and there but that may have been just a tease. Can anyone help????? Now i see it has no healthy leaves on it Should i pull it?? Did i murder it??? soo sad, i really had taken a liking to it.....

here is its partner that never grew to the size of its counterpart...

I would like to try to move the partner, but i of course want to do it right this time.... any suggestions?

Wait until it goes dormant, cut it back by about 1/4th to 1/3rd it's current size, take as much soil with the root that you can. Have the hole ready at it's new home and tuck it in. If you mulch plants against the cold in your area I would do that too. When it wakes up in the spring it should adjust.

K

how about the dead one will there be any hope for it??? Thank you very much for your response, When i moved the one i dont think there was much dirt on the root......uh..ohhh.. bit of a booboo I should have checked it out before i moved it.

You can cut back the stressed plant. I would try maybe to reduce it by 1/3rd. Since it probably lost root volume when you moved it, cutting back the top makes less work for the roots in supporting the plant, hopefully enabling them to grow more root structure. Other than that, give it a little shade, don't over water it, and perhaps pray a bit. Good luck!

K

thanks, thats more hope than i thought it might have. How do i get shade if its on the sw side of the house... move it???? do they like shade, I thought they were tolerant of all sun or shade....????

take a tarp and cover on poles, use an old umbrella, or pot it up and move to shade. A guy near me has several in full sun but they give them lots of water... I think they can teka the sun it is just the shock of moving it.

thanks 75154, do you think the north side is too shady? it gets almost all shade though....forgive me for asking, but How expensive is it to just get a new one.... I know its a living creature and all.....but I have two young kids and a small business to run, If i put an umbrella it would get in the way of my enterance to my grooming shop. The only places that are available to put it are very shady... I dont want to be a murderer but i just might have to let it die...oh no.... I cant even believe im contemplating this.....

My compost pile is full of botched transplants... sometimes it is all you can do... The North side should be fine if you want to try it - anything is worth a shot...

thank you again 75154.. i think ill do that now....or maybe i should wait until the guys who are siding my house are done trampling around the house..of course they wont be trampling on the thorns right....? hahahaha( evil laugh)

love the way you are thinking there...

hey i finally got that bush moved just before dark. I'll keep you posted.

post pic of your progress to -

here is the pic you asked for.....not very bright, sorry.

This message was edited Jun 13, 2005 9:14 PM

Looks like a good start . . .

are you familiar with rhubarb at all?

nope - LOL it gets way to hot here...

figured...my grandma used to winter in Harlingen Texas, for 25 years. I've been down there a number of times since she liked to bring her own car and things. She was quite a packrat...lol..... I believe we took the 71 or 70?? does that sound right? through texarkana, and marshall and Victoria, not necessarily in that order, dont remember cause i was too busy talking to grandma, even on the third day we always had stuff to talk about. Anyway is red oak anywhere near Harlingen or Browsville?

not really close to Dallas on I45 we had our first 100 degree day in May and June our coolest day was in the upper 80s, I would love to live down there what a stunning place, I love the plants - but I cannot get a job there yet to pay the bills - LOL oh well when ever we find one we are heading down that way.

we used to travel to mexico when i would take grandma down there....to a town called progresso i think....does that sound familiar?? I love your texas grapefruit!!!wont eat anything but cause it just isnt worth the trouble.....wish i could have some shipped......oh well.....The vanilla in mexico is maybe worth a trip too!! I should have stocked up when i was there last time.......maybe i will have to visit texas when i finally get a vacation...

Nuevo Progresso - love that place, a little drive from here. The Grapefruits and watermelons down there keep us making the trip! If you head to Mexico stop by here on the way! (On the way back - trade ya plants for some of that vanilla). Mitch

you betcha!! gonna have to wait a while though!! this years vacation money all got spent on siding the house!! maybe next year.....

LOL - I hear ya there, we are going to go on a vacation if I stop spending the cash on the yard!

GUESS WHAT! I couldnt believe my eyes!! Its coming back!! And quite fast if you ask me......I thought it was a goner at least until next year! Will post pic tomorrow!

see TLC wil get it every time

here it is.....I thought it was in deep shade, But apparently I dont get out there much...until now there was no reason to be out there...oooohhhhh how exciting! thanks so much for your help...I will post when its full of leaves.....I hope thats soon!

how do you suggest i get that weed out of the middle? without killing my arms? or should i get the dh to get it?lol

DH with great gloves!

guess what!? It has a bunch of leaves now.....can you see the new growth coming up from where the weed was....by the way the dumb weed broke off, so it will be back! darn thing!

OK so the new growth is just to the left of where the weed was and very small but it is there! and here is a better all over..
I just want to say, thank you so very much for the advice and for saving my barberry!

This message was edited Jul 18, 2005 8:36 PM

glad to help!