Scheinberry, Gaultheria procumbens – care instructions

The dwarf shrub from the USA and Canada is a very special plant. In autumn the dark green, glossy leaves change color and shine in various shades of red, brown and green. The plant from the heather family brings color to the home garden. The red berries of the Gaultheria procumbens, which grow up to 20 cm high, are striking. In their original home in North America, the plant prefers to thrive in forests and clearings. Accordingly, the plant prefers a partially shaded location even in our latitudes. The pseudo-berry can cope with sunny spots, provided the soil has enough moisture. Those who want to promote the growth and resilience of the plant known as “carpet berries” should avoid locations in full sun. However, the shamberry does not want to be completely without light. The plant can cope with shady places, but it can be extremely lazy here.
Some requirements are placed on the floor. It is easily possible to adapt the soil to the needs of the dwarf shrub before planting.

• The substrate should be sandy and rich in humus.
• Grain berries tolerate weakly acidic to acidic soils.
• Avoid calcareous soils.

Gaultheria procumben absolutely does not like dry soil. It is advantageous to prepare such locations sufficiently or to avoid them completely. Rhododendron soil has proven its worth for potted plants. Its low height makes the plant interesting as grave plants and for edging roadsides.

Tip : The shamberry is relatively insensitive to the pressure from the roots of other plants. For this reason, it is ideal for underplanting large deciduous and coniferous trees.

Fertilizing and watering

The water supply needs arise from the original occurrence of the shamberry. The substrate in the North American forests is moist and crumbly. Gaultheria procumben is often referred to as a bog plant. The name is misleading. Because like longer periods of drought, waterlogging can also damage the pseudo-berries.

• Just let the soil dry before watering.
• Pour in small amounts.
• Use lime-free rainwater.
• Water is also poured on frost-free days in winter.

So that the rain and irrigation water can drain away more easily, the soil should be mixed with small amounts of pebbles when planting. This counteracts soil compaction. This task is carried out by a drainage on the floor in buckets. Porous material, such as potsherds or lava chippings, has proven its worth.

The shamberry’s need for nutrients and minerals is extremely low. In the field it is sufficient to provide the plants with organic fertilizer once a year. You can choose to use compost or horn shavings. An ideal time to apply the components is in spring or late summer. Both variants have different advantages. Applied in late summer, the slowly decomposing material warms the plants in the cold season. The valuable minerals are slowly released into the soil. In early spring, the fertilizer supports the plant in the formation of new leaves and buds.

Between April and the end of August, potted plants are supplied with liquid fertilizer approximately every 6 to 8 weeks. In order to distribute the liquid nutrients evenly in the substrate, the fertilizer should be mixed with the irrigation water. The rule here is: less is more. Mock berries are not very wasteful plants and grow slowly. Too much fertilizer can damage the crop.

plant

The plant with the fragrant berries is a popular ground cover. The small size and robustness make the dwarf shrub interesting for the structural enhancement of sloping and ornamental beds. In pots, the plant brings color to the terrace or balcony. Cultivation is easy. So that the pseudo-berries can quickly acclimate to the new location, planting should not take place during the warm vegetation phase. The period from the end of February to the beginning of April has proven itself.

• Loosen the soil sufficiently.
• Dig the planting hole.
• Mix the earth with clay, sand and humus.
• Loosen heavy soils with pebbles.
• Remove the old substrate from the roots of the shamberry.
• Insert the plant and carefully press the soil into place.

In the last step, the pseudo-berry is poured vigorously. In the first 14 days it is advisable not to let the soil dry out. The roots of the plant are not yet able to independently draw moisture from the surrounding substrate layers.

Tip : In some cases, Gaultheria procumbens sheds its leaves immediately after planting. It takes time for new leaves to form. Before the new green shows up, you should not let the substrate dry off.

The heather family is also suitable for cultivation in planters all year round. Drainage at the bottom of the bucket and rhododendron soil are the only prerequisites for placing the pseudo-berries in a large flower pot. Nothing changes with regard to the location. To protect against the midday heat, the sham berries can be shielded during this time. The only special feature of potted plants: the substrate must be checked regularly for dryness. The risk of drying out is high in the planter.

Tip : With a little creativity, you can create a distinctive eye-catcher in combination with other plants. Irish bell heather (Daboecia cantabrica) and Erica Gracilis, for example, are suitable here.

Plant spacing

Gaultheria procumbens copes with root pressure without any problems; it only reaches its maximum width of 40 cm after a few years. This fact makes it possible that when planting several pseudo berries together, only a minimum distance of 5 to 8 cm needs to be observed. We recommend 13 to 15 copies per square meter. If the heather plants get in each other’s way with increasing age, they can be separated and planted elsewhere. Select a sufficiently large container for potted plants. This ensures that the plants have sufficient water and nutrients available.

Multiply

Mock berries grow clumpy and creeping. The plant with the high ornamental value can be easily propagated through root runners and seeds. Only a little patience and a poor substrate are necessary for this.

Runners : With this type of vegetative propagation, the young parts of the plant are used. This has a number of advantages. For example, these plants grow faster and are already used to the local conditions. The runners of the pseudo-berries can be grown all year round on frost-free days. Here, too, late summer or spring has proven to be the best time.

•  Lift the rooted runners with a digging fork or spade.
• Separate from the mother plant with a sharp knife.
• Use in freshly prepared substrate.
• Pour on vigorously.

With this method, bald spots can be quickly greened with young plants.

Seeds : The seeds are grown directly in the field. To have a better overview of what exactly is sprouting on the prepared site, you can use a flat planter. In the first few weeks, the young pseudo-berries did not need a nutrient-rich substrate. Conventional, poor garden soil has proven itself for this task.

• Collect seeds immediately after ripening.
• Cover lightly with substrate directly in the field or in a bucket.
• Soil must not dry out, if necessary water in winter.
• Separate the sprouts in spring.

Snails are rarely found on Gaultheria procumbens. A special protection of the young plants from the voracious contemporaries is not necessary. If there is still a risk of bald frost after germination, a warm location, for example near stone walls or sheds, has proven itself.

Overwinter

Anyone who can cope with the harsh winters in North America can only wrest a weary smile from the cold season in our latitudes. The red fruits of the pseudo berries stand out cheekily even under a thick blanket of snow, protection in the form of brushwood or bark mulch is not necessary with these ground cover. As is so often the case, however, there is one exception: The substrate in potted plants can freeze completely and cause lasting damage to the roots of the plants. In this case, Gaultheria procumbens does not need to be relocated to a frost-proof room. Only the planter should be wrapped generously with burlap or a blanket.

cut

With a height of almost 20 cm, no regular back or clearing pruning is necessary. You can completely remove dead leaves and dead or withered shoots all year round. Use only well-sharpened secateurs. With this you reduce the risk that the parts of the plant will be crushed. These can weaken the plant and provide an ideal breeding ground for pathogens and fungal pathogens.

Diseases and pests

The evergreen partridge berry can not only withstand temperatures as low as -20 ° C, but is also unattractive for a variety of pests and diseases. Aphids find the sap unsavory and even snails prefer other green foods. One should not ignore conspicuous withered leaves or a troubled appearance of the ground cover. In many cases, the cause is a care mistake. In some cases, for example, freshly planted pseudo berries from the trade are not used to direct sunlight. The leaves get a kind of ” sunburn ” and bleach. The old leaves no longer recover from this damage, only the new leaves shine again in their dark green splendor.

Gaultheria procumbens is not immune to root rot . This disease in the interaction of waterlogging and fungal pathogens. The root network of the plant is slowly decomposed, a putrid smell penetrates the substrate. Fungicides cannot fight root rot. In the initial stage, one can try to move the infected plant into dry soil. In some cases, the shamberry recovers. It is more efficient to prevent root rot. No waterlogging should occur during watering.

Conclusion

The ground covering pseudo-berry is robust and resilient. With its creeping growth it effectively suppresses weeds and plants the bare spots under large deciduous and coniferous trees. The partridge berry has few requirements in terms of location and care. This makes the North American plant interesting for gardening beginners.