- Planting your rosy glow barberry bush in the correct location is the initial step in protecting in throughout the year, including the winter season. These barberry shrubs grow in partial shade but develop stronger, more vibrant colors in full sunlight. Planting it along the south side of a house or other structure will provide the warmest winter location and offer protection from freezing northern winds.
- Rosy glow barberry shrubs are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture climate zones 5 through 9. Specimens in climates near the lower end of this zone can benefit from winter mulching. The best time to do this is late in the fall, before the winter snow begins to accumulate. Examine the surface soil for any cracks, especially around new plants where the recently dug ground tends to shift and settle. Fill in any cracks with soil and water thoroughly. Apply a 6 to 8-inch layer of wood chips or straw over the roots, leaving a 2-inch gap between the mulch and the exposed stems.
- Like many shrubs that form berries, rosy glow barberries act as a wildlife magnet in the winter landscape. Birds are the most common visitor and seldom present a danger to the plants. Although the prickly spines may make deer prefer to forage and feed on other shrubs, a lack of other vegetation increases the risk of damage from nibbling. Placing a sheet of nylon netting over the shrub, or erecting a small wire mesh fence around the perimeter, will help ward off foraging wildlife.
- Diseased and damaged branches can increase the risk of disease in barberries. Limiting early winter pruning to broken and unhealthy branches will minimize the risk while allowing the shrub to keep its winter adornment of red berries. Late winter is the best time to perform maintenance pruning to shape the bush and maintain its overall size.
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