Grow mulberries in your own garden

When ripe, mulberries resemble blackberries. The fruit is usually dark red to black (although white mulberries also exist) and it is made up of clusters of smaller berries. The tree is called a mulberry tree and it comes from Asia but it has been domesticated here. People have been cultivating mulberries for several centuries. Some trees can reach a very old age – up to two hundred years!

Mulberry tree needs enough space

Mulberry trees are wide and large trees and they can reach a height of 15 to 18 meters so, if you want to have one you need to also have a large garden. Mulberries are black, red or white – depending on the variety of your tree. Think of them as raspberries or blackberries, and you can use them in a similar way.

Photo: Pixabay

Site selection

Mulberry trees love warm spots so, choose a sunny place where the soil is warm and sufficiently permeable. Wet and heavy soil is not suitable, as well as cold soil, which can be fatal. If you choose the right spot with sufficiently rich soil, your mulberry tree will become self-sufficient pretty soon because its roots reach very deep and are able to get nutrients from deep down.

When should you plant a mulberry tree?

As all other fruit trees, you should plant a mulberry tree in spring or autumn. When you do, make sure that the pit is deep enough to accommodate all roots. Before planting, you should soak the roots in water for several hours and then you put it in the hole, and cover it with soil. Make sure you plant the tree straight. While you adding soil, step back from time to time and make sure that the trunk is straight.

Support stakes for young trees

It is advisable to provide a supporting stake. Put the supporting stake into the pit first and then the tree. This will protect it from strong winds and the stake can also help you to make sure that the tree is planted straight up. If the supporting stake is perfectly vertical, you no longer need to check the tree – simply follow the stake. When you fill the pit, tie the tree to the stake.

Harvest

You may expect first harvest in three to four years. Yes, it is a rather long time but you will get a really big harvest eight years after planting. When you are ready to harvest, spread a foil underneath the tree and shake it vigorously. Mulberries ripen gradually, so you need to repeat it several times. The fruit does not last long so use it as quickly as possible but that should not be a problem because mulberries taste really great.

Preview photo: Pixabay