Mulberry tree, mulberries, morus – care and cutting

If you like the juicy, sweet mulberries and are looking for an imposing tree for the garden at the same time, you will find it with a mulberry tree. This grows as a deciduous shrub or tree to lofty heights of 6 to 15 meters. The hardy mulberry tree can get very old in the right location and with good care. Its impressive habitus with the sweeping crown is able to determine the appearance of the garden significantly over the years, which is why it is often cultivated as a solitary plant. It is also often found in the tub, because with its lush foliage it adorns balconies and terraces even at locations where other plants do not or only poorly thrive. In this case, regular pruning will keep the growth of the mulberry tree in the desired shape and size.

maintenance

Of the total of 15 known species of the mulberry tree, 3 are known and popular in Europe. Its blackberry-like fruits may appear differently colored, but the demands of More are uniform in terms of care:

  • Fully sunny to partially shaded location.
  • Sandy, well drained and calcareous potting soil.
  • Substrate containing peat is not tolerated.
  • The mulberry tree does not benefit from soil that is too moist.
  • Do not pour too little in the bucket every 2 days.
  • Avoid waterlogging.
  • Water thoroughly in the bed every week.
  • Fertilize in pots once a week.
  • Organically fertilize Morus outdoors in April and June.
  • Check for pests regularly.

In order to be able to carry the tasty fruits in large numbers, the nutrient requirements of the mulberry tree are correspondingly high. If it is in a planter, gardening enthusiasts should not be afraid to provide them with complete fertilizer. Of course, this also applies to the bed, although well-rotten compost and horn meal can be used as an alternative.

To cut

In contrast to numerous other fruit trees, pruning is in principle not necessary with a mulberry tree. With a growth rate of up to 40 cm per year, an annual pruning is still advisable in order to maintain and support the decorative shape with the expressive crown. The remarkable cut tolerance of the More makes this work easier for gardening enthusiasts, especially because the tree lets its fruits ripen out of the young and old wood. The mulberry tree can easily forgive a mishap during pruning.

In the first years of life of the mulberry tree, it can be trained to grow into a tree-like shape with the help of pruning. In this case, a strong shoot is chosen as the main branch, which is surrounded by several side shoots. The trunk develops from the main branch over the years. Garden enthusiasts who prefer a bushy shrub shape simply shorten the shoots to an eye that protrudes outwards. In addition, branches that grow inward are removed. In this case, however, a certain sense of proportion is required, because the red mulberry tree in particular captivates the eye with bizarre twisted branches. If these are cut in the heat of the moment, the tree will be deprived of its fascinating charisma.

Overwinter

The adult mulberry tree is hardy to -20 ° Celsius. The younger specimens need protection from overly frosty temperatures for the first two to three years. Experienced gardeners do not plant a young Morus in the field straight away, but rather cultivate it as a container plant for at least the first year. Then it is not a problem to put the fruit trees in winter quarters, such as the garage, the garden shed or the cellar, because the tree can withstand slight temperatures below zero. If there is no space for winter quarters, the bucket with the mulberry tree is placed on a block of wood or styrofoam on the south wall of the house, the container is wrapped with bubble wrap and a garden fleece is placed over the branches.
Mulberry trees that are immediately planted outdoors receive winter protection in the form of jute sacks or are wrapped with bast tape for the first two years. The roots are covered with a thick layer of leaves, sticks or straw. As soon as the temperatures are permanently around 0 ° Celsius, all winter protection is removed because otherwise there is a risk of mold growth.

Plant the mulberry tree properly

Nurseries and garden centers usually offer young morus as bales or in containers. Experienced hobby gardeners know how to distinguish healthy, strong plants from damaged specimens and are therefore not afraid to remove the ball cloth to inspect the root ball. If the roots are brown or stunted, they should not be purchased. If the roots of container goods are already growing out of the air holes, this is a sure sign that they have been wedged in this plastic cover for a very long time. Once the ideal mulberry tree has been found, the root ball should be kept moist during the journey, if this takes a long time. Planting on site is carried out as follows:

  • The best time to plant is in autumn.
  • The root ball is placed in water until no more air bubbles rise.
  • The planting hole is at least twice as large as the root ball.
  • Too heavy soil is loosened up with sand.
  • Compost and horn shavings are added to the potting soil.
  • A drainage made of gravel prevents waterlogging.
  • The tree goes just as deep into the earth as before.
  • A support post is driven in.
  • The mulberry tree and stake are connected with a wide bast ribbon.
  • Fill in the soil with a slight slope towards the middle.
  • Finally, step on it and water it abundantly.

Since the mulberry tree can grow up to 15 meters high, the correct distance to the house and the neighbors plays an important role. The distance to surrounding buildings is at least the expected height. Regarding the prescribed distance to the neighboring property, the regional regulations are consulted in order to prevent any trouble.

Hobby gardeners who follow the recommendations of the experts and first plant the mulberry tree in the tub, take into account when choosing the substrate that it must not contain peat. The planter should also have a drainage hole for excess irrigation water that is protected from clogging by potting soil with a drain. If it is planned that the Morus will be cultivated in a pot for several years, gardening enthusiasts with foresight can place it on a wooden board with castors, which makes moving to winter quarters much easier. Due to the strong vigor of the mulberry tree, annual repotting is necessary, especially in the first three to four years.

Diseases and pests

In the field, mulberry trees show remarkable resistance to diseases and pests. If unsightly leaf spots do show up and the edges curl up, this is usually due to damage from de-icing salts. These slowly seep into the ground and often damage the neighboring trees for years. Since drought damage looks similar, it is advisable to water the mulberry tree thoroughly when the damage pattern described above occurs. If there is no improvement, a change of soil, more regular fertilization and more frequent watering can help. In any case, you should generally refrain from using de-icing salts near the garden.

Mulberry trees in pots are susceptible to attack by spider mites if they are too warm and not airy enough in their winter quarters. The infestation by the tiny pests is shown by extremely delicate webs on the leaves. This is how the pests can be fought:

  • Thoroughly rinse the plant.
  • Spray the underside as well.
  • Protect the root ball with a bag.
  • Use an insecticide based on rapeseed oil.
  • Buy predatory mites and distribute them on the tree.
  • Florfliegenlarven vertilgen Spinnmilben.
  • Fog the leaves regularly with lime-free water.

The risk of infestation is much lower if the Morus hibernates in an unheated room, because it can easily tolerate light frost – but not the spider mites.

Multiply

The reproduction of the mulberry trees is as easy as the care:

Cuttings
In summer, during the growth phase, several strong, non-flowering shoots are cut from the tree to a length of 10 cm to 15 cm. Since the tree is in full sap at this time, the cut wound should be closed with pure wood ash or tree wax so that no fungi or pests can enter. In the lower part, all leaves are removed and the remaining leaves are cut in half so that the branch does not invest its energy in their growth. The cuttings are placed in a glass of water, where they will form roots within a short time. Then they either come straight into the bed or are grown throughout the winter in a pot with slightly sandy potting soil without peat. It is important that the substrate is kept slightly moist at all times during this phase.

Together
Propagation with seeds is preferably carried out in bonsai culture, but it is also possible to grow a normal-growing mulberry tree. The seeds can be purchased from specialist retailers or obtained from the mulberries yourself. They are scattered in a seed tray or a pot and thinly covered with earth, since they are dark germs. The substrate should be poor in nutrients, contain no peat and a quarter should consist of sand. To ensure that there are no germs or pest eggs in it, the soil is first placed in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 ° or in the microwave for 5 minutes at 800 watts. If the seeds get enough moisture, germination will start after 2 to 4 weeks. As soon as the first pair of leaves appears,

As with all fruit trees, the mulberry tree can also be propagated through grafting. However, this is a method that requires a lot of experience from the hobby gardener in order to succeed.

Popular varieties

Of the 15 known species of the mulberry tree, only 3 are native to the local regions. However, the breeders have succeeded in making some beautiful hybrids that score with interesting advantages:

White Mulberry – Morus alba

  • Growth height up to 600 cm
  • Flowering period May to June
  • develops white fruits
  • deep yellow autumn leaves

Black Mulberry – Morus alba pendula

  • branches hanging down like an umbrella
  • Growth height 400 cm to 600 cm
  • white or red-black berries
  • green shiny foliage

Kagayamae Maulbeere – Morus kagayamae

  • rare ornamental wood
  • Height of growth 300 cm to 400 cm
  • very large leaves
  • beautiful shade provider
  • sweet, red-black berries

Black Mulberry – Morus nigra

  • Maximum height of 400 cm
  • large, ovate leaves
  • spicy, sweet, dark red berries
  • suitable for the small garden

Black Cultivated Mulberry – Morus nigra Wellington

  • Result of professional finishing
  • especially large, dark red fruits
  • Growth height up to 600 cm

Rote Maulbeere – Morus rubra

  • unusually lobed leaves
  • red to black fruits
  • Growth height 400 cm to 800 cm
  • golden yellow autumn leaves

Maulbeere Illinois Everbearing – Morus Illinois Everbearing

  • richly bearing with large fruits
  • successful crossing of alba and rubra
  • Growth height up to 500 cm
  • relatively late harvest

Incidentally, the color of the mulberries is not a reliable indication of the variety. Morus alba can produce dark red and black berries just as much as Morus nigra can produce white fruits.

Conclusion
The mulberry tree originally came to Europe to promote the cultivation of silkworms. Today it is a popular ornamental wood of impressive stature and provides aromatic, spicy-sweet berries, which are best eaten fresh from the tree. Since they can only be stored for a few days, they do not even appear in supermarkets, so gardening enthusiasts can look forward to a rare treat. Mulberry trees are modest in their demands as long as they get enough water and nutrients. They also thrive in the bucket and invite you to snack on healthy vitamins.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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