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Mulberry Smuglyanka fell in love with many gardeners due to its unpretentiousness, in addition, this variety has a high level of drought resistance. Smuglyanka mulberry is usually grown in the south for a high yield of sweet fruits that children love so much. Today, mulberry grows almost throughout Our Country. With proper care, you can get a good harvest.
Description of mulberry Smuglyanka
If we consider the description of white mulberry Smuglyanka, then it is worth noting that this variety was obtained in the process of selecting the best samples of white mulberry.
The mulberry tree Smuglyanka is deciduous, the crown is of moderate density in the form of a ball. In height, the plant can reach from 3 to 15 m. At first, the mulberry tree grows quite quickly, but gradually growth slows down. The flowers appear dioecious, as a rule, they are collected in spikes. The leaves are quite large and wide, the edges are serrated, rough to the touch. In summer, the foliage of the mulberry Smuglyanka is completely green; closer to autumn, it begins to turn yellow.
Berries resemble blackberries in appearance, shades are very different. Mulberry Smuglyanka has white fruits. The fruits can be eaten, the size is about 2-3 cm, the berries have a pleasant aroma.
Pros and cons of the mulberry variety Smuglyanka
If we consider the advantages of this variety, then it is worth noting the following points:
- white Smuglyanka is a winter-hardy mulberry variety;
- unpretentiousness to the soil;
- annual fruiting;
- resistance to pests and diseases;
- high yield with proper care;
- versatility of fruits (can be used for conservation or consumed fresh);
- storage time is 12 hours;
- sweet taste of fruits;
- pleasant aroma (in some cases it may be absent).
Some gardeners among the minuses note the fact that the fruits are quite difficult to collect due to their small size. In addition, despite the fact that this variety is able to tolerate low temperatures, the Smuglyanka mulberry needs shelter for the winter, otherwise the yield will be significantly reduced.
Planting and caring for mulberry Smuglyanka
As many experienced gardeners note, the Smuglyanka mulberry is an unpretentious species. This plant quickly adapts to new growing conditions. In order to get a high level of yield, it is required to provide high-quality care for the Smuglyanka mulberry. It is necessary not only to choose the right planting material and a place for planting, but also to fertilize, form a crown, and cover for the winter in the process of mulberry growth.
Preparation of planting material and site
When choosing a site for planting Smuglyanka mulberry in open ground, it is recommended to give preference to places with good lighting. The best solution would be loose loamy or sandy soils. In this case, you need to take into account the fact that the plant can live up to 300 years.
As a rule, planting material begins to be planted in early spring or late autumn. In order for the seedlings to take root better, it is necessary to purchase a rooting agent for the root system, dilute the solution and place planting material in it for several hours, and only after that proceed to planting in open ground.
Rules of landing
The pit must be prepared in advance, its dimensions should be 80 * 80 * 60 cm. The planting process is as follows:
- The removed top fertile layer is poured to the bottom.
- They bring in the manure.
- Fertilizers – 150 g.
- A seedling is planted in the center of the pit, while it is necessary to carefully straighten the root system without damaging it.
- After planting, the plant is watered, and the ground around is mulched, which will prevent the appearance of weeds.
At the time of intensive growth, fertilizers are applied. In early July, watering is possible only if there is a drought.
Watering and top dressing
The key to any healthy plant and high yields is not only proper planting and propagation, but also the process of watering and fertilizing.
It is recommended to water the Smuglyanka mulberry variety from early spring until July. Particular attention should be paid to watering in dry weather. In the spring you need to make top dressing. For these purposes, as a rule, nitrogen fertilizers are used. In summer, it is worth giving preference to potash and phosphorus top dressing.
Trimming
Trimming mulberry variety Smuglyanka is in a period of complete or partial dormancy. The best solution would be to perform pruning work at the end of April or at the beginning of May, at the moment when the movement of juices did not begin and the buds did not bloom. At such moments, a shaping or rejuvenating pruning is performed.
Sanitary pruning is carried out in the fall, when the growing season has come to an end and the temperature regime is not lower than -10 ° C. In this case, all diseased and damaged branches should be removed.
Preparation for winter
Mulberry Smuglyanka is able to tolerate low temperatures down to -30C. Despite this, the tree often suffers from a lack of heat, as a result of which the yield is significantly reduced. In the spring, it is necessary to remove all frostbite branches, new ones will appear over the summer.
To make it more convenient to cover the plant, it is cut off, the crown is shaped into a ball. When the first frosts appear, the mulberry tree is covered with burlap, tied with twine. If necessary, you can use a padded jacket. With the onset of heat, the shelter is removed.
Harvesting
It is important to take into account that the fruiting period of the Smuglyanka mulberry is rather extended, as a result of which the fruits ripen for 1,5-2 months. Since the ripening is uneven, one branch can contain both green berries and ripe, ready-to-eat.
The berries are small in size, but there are quite a lot of them. Since the fruits cannot be stored for a long time, some experienced gardeners save time allotted for harvesting. For these purposes, a film is spread under the tree and begins to shake.
Diseases and pests
Mulberry Smuglyanka is a resistant plant to a number of diseases and pests. In central Our Country, plants suffer much more from low temperature conditions than from diseases. The diseases that the mulberry is exposed to can be divided into fungal and viral:
- powdery mildew;
- brown spotting;
- root rot;
- bacteriosis;
- Polypore – a mushroom that feeds on useful substances from a tree;
- curly small-leaved – неизлечимый вирус, вызванный сосущими насекомыми.
In addition, you should be afraid of American butterflies, which can leave a tree completely without foliage. In this case, when nests are found, it is necessary to cut them along with the branches.
Reproduction
In addition to describing the mulberry variety Smuglyanka, it is important to know how this variety reproduces. Reproduction is carried out in the following ways:
- seeds. In October, it is necessary to clean the berries from the current year’s crop from the pulp and soak the seed for 2 hours in a growth stimulator solution for the root system;
- cuttings. This method is considered the most time-consuming, since it is required to create suitable conditions for planting material in the greenhouse. When propagated by cuttings, the Swarthy mulberry adopts all maternal characteristics;
- offspring. If the plant has been damaged, then shoots begin to appear in this place, as a result of which the plant itself prevents its further death. Extra offspring, if necessary, can be cut and rooted;
- graft. As a rule, you can graft the mulberry Smuglyanka by any convenient means, but the most popular is copulation.
Thanks to such a wide choice, every gardener will be able to determine the most convenient and easiest way to propagate the mulberry tree.
Reviews about mulberry Smuglyanka
Conclusion
Mulberry Smuglyanka gained such popularity due to its unpretentiousness and juicy fruits. Despite the fact that the berries are versatile and can be eaten, some designers use mulberries to decorate the land.