How to Care for a Mulberry Tree
Select a cultivar., Choose the right soil., Pick a location for planting., Determine the best season for planting., Prepare the planting hole and plant your tree.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select a cultivar.
Be sure to ask your nursery or catalog to specify the type of cultivar you are purchasing.
When acquiring a mulberry tree for fruit, choose a cultivar that is strong, self-pollinating, and has seedless fruits.
There are also fruitless and weeping cultivars available for purchase if you are not interested in a fruit-bearing tree.
Search for hardy and lush cultivars for planting.The Morus alba (white mulberry) and Morus rubra (red mulberry) hybrids (such as the Downing and Illinois Everbearing) are known for their large, sweet, fruit and hardiness. -
Step 2: Choose the right soil.
Mulberry trees will grow on many types of soil as long as a good drainage system is provided.
Ensure they are not in an area where flooding is common as they do not tolerate being engulfed in water.
When possible, well-drained, deep soils are preferred.
Opt for slightly acidic soil with a pH of
5.5 to
6.5.
Soils of moderate alkalinity are able to be tolerated.If you are unsure of the pH of your soil, take a sample to the Cooperative Extension Agency in your county. , Mulberry trees are able to survive in drought and salty conditions so they are typically good for urban or coastal planting.
They thrive in climates that see seasonal temperature changes including sunny summers and frosty winters.The fruit that falls from trees may cause dark stains so avoid planting near walkways or driveways as the branches can be very weak.Chickens, turkeys and pigs enjoy mulberries so you can always choose to plant a mulberry tree where it will overhang and offer your animals a treat. , While there is no particular season that is best for planting, the rule of thumb is that planting is fine when conditions are “favorable”.
You should not plant when the ground is frozen, when daytime temperatures are below 32ºF or above 90ºF, or when there’s extreme weather such as blizzards or torrential rain., Your planting hole should be about 3 times the width of the pot, as deep as the root ball, and there should be 25-30 feet between each tree.
Mix the soil that has been set aside with aged mushroom compost, aged manure, or rotted pine bark (half and half).
Remove the plant from the pot, loosen the root, and place it in the hole.
Fill the hole with the soil mixture previously set aside, and water it to allow the roots to settle.Avoid burying the root too deeply by making sure the top most roots are positioned at the soil line.
Avoid adding fertilizer to the planting hole unless it is during an appropriate fertilization time.
Fertilization is based on the age of the tree and can occur anywhere from February to August. -
Step 3: Pick a location for planting.
-
Step 4: Determine the best season for planting.
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Step 5: Prepare the planting hole and plant your tree.
Detailed Guide
Be sure to ask your nursery or catalog to specify the type of cultivar you are purchasing.
When acquiring a mulberry tree for fruit, choose a cultivar that is strong, self-pollinating, and has seedless fruits.
There are also fruitless and weeping cultivars available for purchase if you are not interested in a fruit-bearing tree.
Search for hardy and lush cultivars for planting.The Morus alba (white mulberry) and Morus rubra (red mulberry) hybrids (such as the Downing and Illinois Everbearing) are known for their large, sweet, fruit and hardiness.
Mulberry trees will grow on many types of soil as long as a good drainage system is provided.
Ensure they are not in an area where flooding is common as they do not tolerate being engulfed in water.
When possible, well-drained, deep soils are preferred.
Opt for slightly acidic soil with a pH of
5.5 to
6.5.
Soils of moderate alkalinity are able to be tolerated.If you are unsure of the pH of your soil, take a sample to the Cooperative Extension Agency in your county. , Mulberry trees are able to survive in drought and salty conditions so they are typically good for urban or coastal planting.
They thrive in climates that see seasonal temperature changes including sunny summers and frosty winters.The fruit that falls from trees may cause dark stains so avoid planting near walkways or driveways as the branches can be very weak.Chickens, turkeys and pigs enjoy mulberries so you can always choose to plant a mulberry tree where it will overhang and offer your animals a treat. , While there is no particular season that is best for planting, the rule of thumb is that planting is fine when conditions are “favorable”.
You should not plant when the ground is frozen, when daytime temperatures are below 32ºF or above 90ºF, or when there’s extreme weather such as blizzards or torrential rain., Your planting hole should be about 3 times the width of the pot, as deep as the root ball, and there should be 25-30 feet between each tree.
Mix the soil that has been set aside with aged mushroom compost, aged manure, or rotted pine bark (half and half).
Remove the plant from the pot, loosen the root, and place it in the hole.
Fill the hole with the soil mixture previously set aside, and water it to allow the roots to settle.Avoid burying the root too deeply by making sure the top most roots are positioned at the soil line.
Avoid adding fertilizer to the planting hole unless it is during an appropriate fertilization time.
Fertilization is based on the age of the tree and can occur anywhere from February to August.
About the Author
Donna Gomez
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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