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Mulberry (mulberry tree) has long joined the ranks of garden crops traditional for our area: apple trees, pears, plums. Despite its overseas origin, it takes root well and bears fruit both in the northern regions and in the Moscow region. Planting mulberries is carried out according to the same technology as other trees, and if you choose the right variety and plant mulberries at the right time, the seedling will quickly turn into a lush tree that will give you a bountiful harvest every year.
When to plant
Like most fruit trees, mulberries can be planted in spring or fall. Spring planting is preferable, as the plant has more time to take root and take root in a new place before the onset of winter. Autumn planting of mulberries does not provide such an opportunity, and seedlings that have not grown stronger may die. This problem is especially relevant when growing crops in the middle lane, as well as the central one, including in the Moscow region, where winters are quite severe.
Before planting a tree, you should decide on the site and prepare the planting soil. An adult mulberry has a large height and a very voluminous crown, so it is necessary to allocate a large and sunny area in the garden for it.
As a rule, gardeners pay great attention to the formation of the crown, and strive to ensure that the tree does not exceed a height of 5 m. But even if you plan to cut the crown, the area should still be of such a size that there is no no trees or other plants. It should also be borne in mind that the culture does not like swampy soil and stagnant water, so it is better to plant it on a slight slope or elevation.
Mulberry trees are not demanding on the composition of the soil. Well, if the soil in your area is sandy or loamy – it is most suitable for mulberry. Not a problem if it’s slightly salty. The main thing that they need is drainage, since prolonged stagnation of water is detrimental to the plant.
Planting pits for seedlings are prepared in advance so that the soil can stand and fertilizers come into contact with the ground. Pits are dug 60-70 cm wide and at least half a meter deep. It is important that the root in the hole fits freely. Part of the earth from the pit is mixed with fertilizers (humus or compost 0,5 buckets, superphosphate 70-100 g), and it is poured back. A bucket of water is poured into the pit (you can also water it at the end of planting), then the tree is placed vertically, the roots are straightened, and carefully covered with the remaining earth. Next, the soil around the trunk is compacted, moistened and covered with mulch. After planting, the tree is tied to a support so that the newly planted trunk does not break.
Video “How to plant mulberries”
From the presented video you will learn how to plant mulberries correctly.
Planting in autumn
It is not advisable to plant young trees in the autumn, but it is quite acceptable for the southern regions. If autumn is chosen for planting, then you need to have time to plant a tree no later than 1-1,5 months before the onset of frost. For some regions, this is September, in others, constant cold comes later, and seedlings can be planted there in October. It is very important that at the time of freezing of the soil, the plant takes root.
When planting in the autumn, it is imperative to mulch the tree trunks with organic matter, preferably with compost or humus – these materials release heat during decomposition and can prevent the root system from freezing. You should also protect the trunks from rodents with solid material (roofing material, mesh), since pests first of all feast on young trees.
Autumn is suitable for planting decorative mulberry varieties, as well as transplanting seedlings. For example, if you grew cuttings during the summer, or want to plant root shoots, then autumn is the most favorable time for this. Just remember that planting should be done no later than a month before frost.
Planting in the spring
In the spring, you can perform any activities for planting or transplanting seedlings. In early spring (March – early April), this should not be done, since the soil has not yet warmed up enough, and the roots of mulberries, especially young ones, are very sensitive to cold. It is best to plant in the middle or end of April, but later. The landing technology is the same in all cases. Also in spring and early summer, cultivars are grafted onto rootstocks.
The best varieties for planting
Although mulberry is a very winter-hardy tree, one should not forget that this is a southern plant, and if its ground part is able to withstand frosts down to -30 ° C, then the root system can die even when the soil freezes to -10 ° C. Of course, snow and also mulch around the trunk saves the tree from freezing, but this problem can also be solved by choosing a suitable winter-hardy variety.
Today, there are up to 400 varieties of mulberry, which include decorative, fodder and fruit forms. Decorative mulberry, planting and caring for which practically does not differ from fruit varieties, has an original crown, color and size of leaves, height and shape of shoots. The most common varieties for landscape decoration are: Weeping ornamental, Standard weeping, Holly, Black Pendula, White Mulberry (Morus alba).
White mulberry has many decorative forms that have an unusual crown, and some of them bear fruit. It is these compact trees that are most often found in city parks, near official buildings, as well as in the yards of private gardens.
White mulberry came to us from eastern China. There, this tree is planted as a forage crop – the silkworm feeds on its leaves, and the berries are of secondary importance.
It is customary for us to plant mulberries exclusively for obtaining sweet fruits, but, unfortunately, not all trees can survive in the temperate climate of the middle zone, and in the Moscow region. Therefore, a list of the most stable and productive varieties for such an area is proposed:
- Mulberry “Royal”. Compact tree of medium height, undemanding to the soil. The fruits are black, shiny, large (3-4 cm), fragrant, very sweet in taste. The variety has advantages in all characteristics: fast growth and early fruiting, high yield, good immunity to frost and disease, tasty and transportable fruits, use of the bark for medical purposes.
- “Staromoskovskaya”. Frost resistant self-fertile variety. The trees are compact, of medium height (up to 10 m), the crown is spherical, dense, easy to form – you can give the shape of a bush or form decorative weeping shoots. The berries are dark purple, almost black, 2-3 cm long, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste.
- “White honey”. High yielding, very hardy variety. The tree is compact, with a dense pyramidal crown, undemanding to soil and care. Seedlings of white color, 2-3 cm long, very sweet honey taste and delicate texture. The transportability of berries is low, the shelf life is no more than 6 hours.
- “Vladimirskaya” Frost-resistant self-pollinating variety. The tree is low (about 6 m), with a wide, dense crown. Medium-sized fruit (2-3 cm), rounded, dark, purple in color, very sweet in taste. Transportability of berries is average.
- “Black Prince”. Unpretentious to the conditions, frost-resistant variety with very large (5 cm) berries. Productivity is high, safety and transportability of berries is good. The fruits are long, glossy, black in color, sweet dessert flavor, good for making wine.
- Mulberry “Shelly”. Another large-fruited variety of early ripening (mid-June). The tree is compact, decorative, with large, unusually shaped leaves. Seed fruit are large (up to 5,5 cm), long, dull, intense black color. The taste is sweet dessert, the aroma is light honey.
- “Darkie”. Frost-resistant self-pollinating hybrid bred by pollination of white mulberry. The tree is large, with a spreading, dense crown. Infructescences are large (up to 5 cm), cylindrical, black in color, sweet and sour taste. The transportability of berries is good, safety – up to 18 hours.
- “White tenderness”. Frost-resistant, richly fruiting, early variety. Productivity is high, achieved due to a long (2 months) period of fruiting: from early June to August. Seed fruit of a delicate white color, medium size, elongated shape. The taste is very sweet, but can become neutral in high humidity and during periods of rain. Transportability of berries is average.
In principle, if you provide good care for mulberries, then any variety can be grown in our latitudes. In many cases, the size of the berries and their taste will differ from the varietal specimens, but the mulberry is such a productive tree that this deficiency will be more than made up for by the amount of the crop. So, be sure to plant mulberries in your garden, and enjoy the taste!
Video “Growing and caring for white mulberry”
From the video you will learn how to properly plant, grow and care for white mulberry.
Author: Svetlana Galitsina
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