The snowberry is a very easy-care and undemanding plant that does not require a lot of work from the hobby gardener. But be careful: You can't do without care here either.
The snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus), also known as the firecracker bush, is one of the most popular shrubs in our gardens. And why? Quite simply because hardly any other plant is as easy to care for and undemanding as the snowberry.
Especially newcomers to the garden who are not quite sure about their green fingers like to rely on the snowberry. They come in different varieties. They can be combined with many plants, but are also a real eye-catcher in the garden on their own.
➜ Choose location and soil for snowberry
Snowberries are not demanding in terms of location. They thrive in a sunny position, but also do well in partially shaded and even full shade. This virtually limitless choice makes snowberries ideal companions for trees, and also speaks for planting as a hedge that traverses sunny and shady spots.
The snowberry is similarly undemanding in terms of soil. Loose soil is just as acceptable as compacted subsoil, alkaline as well as acidic substrate. Only very dry sandy soils pose a certain problem. Here the snowberry tends to develop very strong runners, which can be a hindrance when planting other plants. In this case, remove the runners regularly to keep the growth from getting out of hand.
➜ Pour and fertilize snowberries
Natural rainfall is sufficient to meet the snowberry's water needs. You only have to water regularly during the growing phase. If there are dry periods of several weeks in summer, the snowberry will gladly accept an occasional watering with a hose or sprinkler.
On nutrient-poor soil you should fertilize the snowberry once in spring and then again in midsummer. Fertilizing in the spring is sufficient on nutrient-rich soil. An ordinary complete fertilizer (such as this onehere) is well suited for snowberries. If possible, fertilize on or immediately after rainy days when the subsoil is damp. The combination of fertilizer and drought can cause root burns.
➜ Cut snowberry
You should trim the snowberry once a year. This rejuvenation cut is best carried out in the spring. It can be moderate, but it can also be vigorous if you want to keep the hedge or solitary shrub low. Even a radical pruning down to the ground does not harm the he alth of the snowberry. The plant develops new shoots very quickly.
Control of snowberry pests
The snowberry is very robust. It is hardly attacked by pests and can cope very well with most symptoms on its own. Relatively often, aphids tamper with snowberries. Here you can support the natural defenses by spraying the pests with a relatively hard water jet. You only have to resort to a chemical agent if there is a persistent, very pronounced aphid infestation.
➜ Winter Snowberry
Snowberries are one of the completely hardy plants and therefore do not need any protection when the temperatures in Germany are expected to be below zero. The plants even withstand severe frost without damage.