Mulberry in the Moscow region: proper cultivation of mulberry. Mulberry, mulberry, mulberry, mulberry - reproduction, planting, cultivation, care

06.04.2019 All about grapes

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Artem Levsha 05/20/2014 | 56290

Varietal mulberry can be propagated in several ways: by seeds, cuttings and by grafting. Choose the one that suits you best.

Seed reproduction

Seed propagation is the easiest way to propagate any kind of mulberry. It is enough to take a handful of full-fledged ripe fruits of your favorite variety, place in a container and put in a sunny place before fermentation begins. Then - rub the seeds well in water with your hands, drain the raised "cap" from the empty shells. Then pour water again, pass through a fine sieve (the seed is also small), immediately rub and rinse the mass until you get clean seeds freed from the pulp. Then they need to be dried well, transferred to a paper bag and stored in a dry place until spring. 1.5 months before the sowing season, the seeds are moistened and placed on the most top shelf refrigerator for stratification. Unstratified seeds are simply soaked in water for 3 days.

Mulberry seeds are sown in fertile soil in April-May to a depth of 1 cm. A bright place is chosen under the bed. Plantings need frequent watering (but not bays). It is important to ensure that the "young growth" is not damaged by recurrent spring frosts. Delicate seedlings are further protected from direct sunlight. Dense plantings are thinned out in the phase of the fifth leaf. Non-thickened are left here until the age of two (for growing).

The traits of the mother plant are not transmitted by seed propagation. Such seedlings, as a rule, serve as rootstocks (wilds) for grafting varietal mulberries.

Propagation by green cuttings

The best way to propagate mulberries in the summer (it is good to combine with sanitary pruning) is green cuttings. In June, cuttings with 2-3 buds are cut from the middle part of an intact, healthy herbaceous (soft) shoot of the current year. The lower leaves are removed, half of the plates are left on the rest for the subsequent development and growth of the cuttings. Cuttings are planted to a depth of 3 cm in a greenhouse (it is possible in an impromptu one on the windowsill) under a light film, where high humidity is created for high-quality rooting. Care - moderate watering, frequent airing (increases as it grows), top dressing mineral fertilizers(the first - a month later). As soon as new shoots appear (after a month), the cutting has taken root. The resulting seedlings are exactly the same as the mother plant.

Propagation by semi-lignified cuttings

Mulberries are propagated in July by cuttings with not quite ripe (seemingly brown) wood, but no longer soft. Preparation, planting, care are identical to those for green cuttings. The difference is the longer rooting time - these cuttings will need 1.5 months.

Propagation by lignified cuttings

For it, completely lignified shoots of a healthy varietal fruitful plant, taken from the outer part of a well-lit crown, are used. The time of harvesting the cuttings is the period of leaf fall (before the onset of stable cold snaps). Deciduous cuttings (18 cm), treated with a root formation stimulant (heteroauxin, root), are planted in a well-prepared open bed so that the aerial part of the cuttings is about 5 cm. At this point they can grow up to two years of age. Further, the matured seedlings must be planted in a permanent place.

As an option: cuttings harvested in autumn are placed in a moist substrate, stored in a cool place (cellar, refrigerator, dug in on the garden bed) until sap flow begins (bud awakening), then planted vertically on the garden bed. These cuttings with two developed buds can be used for grafting with cuttings (copulation).

Reproduction by upper grafting (copulation)

Mulberry can be grafted by almost all known methods. Copulation is considered easy and successful for amateur gardeners (grafting into a cut with a cuttings). The upper (with a cut off the top at the stock) grafting - copulation - can be done indoors in winter or in early spring: cuttings grafted in advance (before sap flow) take root faster.

Of the many copulation methods, we will consider two when the scion rootstocks are in deep dormancy (the bark does not separate).
Simple copulation. This is when on the same thickness of the scion and rootstock, equal (length 4 times the diameter of the cutting) oblique cuts (6 cm by a diameter of 1.5 cm) are made for a clear joining of the cambial layers. Slices are made between the kidneys. Aligning the sections, the joint along the length (without gaps) is covered with a dense bandage made of soft polyethylene. It is important to avoid displacement, otherwise the fusion will deteriorate much.

Improved copulation with a tongue. The difference between such grafting and simple copulation is that oblique cuts on the grafted parts are supplemented with parallel incisions (serifs), which go behind each other when docked, forming a strong mechanical connection of the tissues of the cuttings. This is done as follows: stepping back 1/3 from the end of the cut, down on the rootstock, on the scion up, they begin to make an incision and lead it to half of the oblique cut. As a result, grooves-tongues are formed on the oblique cuts of the scion and rootstock - with their help, a closer combination occurs.

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Mulberry (mulberry) is one of the unique plants that combines nutritional and medicinal properties of fruits. The plant has valuable wood, and the leaves serve as food for the silkworm, with the help of which natural silk is created. It is a deciduous plant that grows up to 15 m in height and is found throughout the world. The plant grows in the subtropical zone of Asia, Africa, North America. And in this article we will talk about the features of growing and caring for mulberry in the Moscow region.

Is it possible to grow mulberries in a summer cottage in the suburbs?

Mulberry attracts gardeners with a wholesome sweet crop. The fruits of the plant are the seedlings of small nuts with accrete pericarp. The berries are white, pinkish and purple. At special care, the mulberry tree begins to harvest 3 years after planting... A larger crop is harvested for 4-5 years.

The mulberry plant is cultivated in the southern regions of the country - in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Astrakhan, Rostov, Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod Regions. Moving northward, in recent years, mulberry is becoming popular in the Moscow region, Siberia, the Urals and other areas of the middle zone.

Since the duration of daylight hours in the Moscow region is short, the growing season is carried out only in spring and autumn. However, due to the unique ability to quickly recover, a mulberry plant is able to withstand Russian winters with temperatures up to -30 degrees... However, this only applies to a few species.

How to start planting mulberries?

Having decided to plant and propagate such an outlandish plant on your site, first of all, you should select mulberry varieties that are cultivated in your region.

The mulberry plant has 17 species. Every year, breeders bring out new plant varieties, which have more than 200 subspecies. The most common types include red, black and white mulberries. White mulberries are grown in the temperate zone.

White and black mulberries differ not in the color of the berries, but in the shades of the plant bark. The trunk and branches of a white mulberry are light beige or light yellow. Black mulberry has darker bark shades.

Equally important is the choice of the shape of the plant. Taking into account the cold winters, mulberries are formed by a low-growing tree or shrub... The mulberry green plant is often used in landscaping a site in the form of hedges, alleys, or alone.

How to choose the right seedling, breeding methods

The multiplication of a mulberry tree is produced in several ways.: seeds, cuttings, layering, grafting and young shoots.

Seed growing method used mainly by breeders, in order to obtain a stock of varietal seedlings. The method is not complicated, but it takes a very long time. Seeds are stratified two months before planting. And planting in open ground is done two years later.

Seeds are sown in April in fertile soil to a depth of 1 centimeter, plantings need regular watering

Cuttings produce seedlings with a good root system... However, under normal conditions, this method is difficult to implement. Gardeners often resort to layering.

The easiest method of acquiring a mulberry plant is seedlings. When buying mulberry seedlings, you should find out in what area they grew... For example, the brought seeds or seedlings from the south in the middle lane will not take root due to the frosty winter. The seedlings grown in your region are more adapted to the local climate.

Mulberry is a dioecious plant with female and male shoots. It is impossible to find out the sex before fruiting. Only 3-5 years after planting, fruits appear on female shoots... Male shoots do not bear fruit. They are used as decoration and landscaping of the garden. Therefore, it is worth stopping the choice only on three-year-old seedlings that have already borne fruit.

Choosing a place for planting a mulberry tree

Mulberry loves sunny, windless places. The best option the south side is used to accommodate the mulberry tree... The plant will be protected from drafts and wind near the fence or wall of the house.

Mulberry loves sheltered from the wind and well-lit places.

The soil composition of lands is of great importance. Loose loamy soils with deep underground waters are suitable for planting. However, the plant is able to take root in saline soils. When planting a mulberry tree in empty sandy lands, it is worth additionally creating drainage from a layer of broken brick. To enrich the soil, mineral fertilizers are applied.

Swampy soils, lowlands are destructive for mulberry... In damp waterlogged or compacted soil, the plant withers or dies.

Depending on the shape of the mulberry tree, it is worthwhile to determine in advance the area of its planting. For bushy mulberries, the distance between the seedlings should be 3 m, and for the standard form - 5 m.

Planting rules and technology in spring and autumn

Mulberry seedlings are planted in spring and autumn. In the spring, mainly in April, disembarkation is made before the start of sap flow... In order for the plant to take root in the fall, it is planted before the onset of the season of heavy rains and frosts.

It is advisable to plant mulberries in the middle lane in the spring. During summer season young shoots will be overgrown with bark and will not die in the first winter.

Seedlings are planted in pre- prepared pits with a depth of half a meter, 80 * 80 cm in size... A bucket of compost or humus is placed on the bottom. The straightened, free-lying, roots of the seedlings are lowered, covering them with earth. The filled soil, to improve rooting, is mixed with 150 grams of minerals. Sprinkle with water and tamp. Sowing of mulberries is completed with mulching, which protects the seedlings from freezing in the winter.

When buying a mulberry seedling, preference should be given to planting material grown in your region.

Plant a plant and seed way... At the end of autumn, the seeds are treated with a special solution or in the spring they are stratified two months before planting. Such preparation is necessary for the best seed germination. Seeds are placed in soil 3-5 cm deep. Water and lay mulch against freezing.

Planting a plant the root collar should be deepened a little... The deepening of the roots of the mulberry, in contrast to the apple or pear, does not lead to preheating of the bark;
Landing pits are prepared in advance by giving them the opportunity to survive;
Digging pits of such dimensions that roots could fit freely;
Don't overdo your fertilization. More growth will appear due to oversupply;
Slender plant stem tied to a peg or a board previously placed in the pit;
If the soil is heavy half of the peat wheelbarrow is added to the soil.

Observing all the rules of planting, the plant easily takes root and grows quickly.

Caring for a newly planted seedling

Mulberry is unpretentious in care. If the planting was carried out in the spring, in the first half of summer, a small amount of mineral or organic fertilizers and watered abundantly. After July, seedlings cannot be fertilized.... Also, in the second half of summer, watering is carried out as needed, without overmoistening the soil.

Newly planted mulberry seedling

During the summer season, the near-trunk circle of seedlings is weeded and loosened the ground. Old dried branches are cut off.

V summer time young shoots grow quickly. During this period, the plant can be propagated. Cutting off the shoot, divide it into small cuttings 15-20 cm and planted in the ground in a greenhouse at an angle of 45 degrees. By fall, the cuttings will have roots and can be planted in the garden next spring.

To save the mulberry from strong winds and frosts, in the fall, the lateral shoots are tilted to the ground and covered with spunbond. The edges of the spunbond are pressed with stones or bricks, protecting the plant from rodents. Additionally, mulch from needles, straw or fallen leaves is added to the near-trunk circle. During the winter, some of the shoots will freeze. However, mulberries will quickly adapt to spring and will give new shoots.

Follow-up care of the seedling, how to cut and shape the crown

Water the plant with the onset of dry weather. Top dressing is applied once a season. Fertilize the soil with manure, wood ash, nitrogenous and potash fertilizers. In the fight against diseases and pests, insecticides, fungicides and urea are used 7%... Fertilizers are applied during the dormant period - in spring or autumn.

For the winter, the mulberry tree is mulched and covered with flooring. In the spring, the flooring is removed and the branches that are weak and damaged during the winter are cut off.

Weeping mulberry

The mulberry tree develops rapidly for the first few years before fruiting. During this period, the formation of the skeleton of the plant is carried out. In April - May, before the onset of sap flow and budding, formative and rejuvenating pruning is performed. Weeping mulberries thin out the crown and shorten the branches. For a standard mulberry, it is necessary to form a crown. Young shoots are removed, leaving one bare trunk with a lush spherical or cascading crown. At summer cottages and household plots form plants low up to 1.5 - 2 m, cutting off the upper shoots.

Regular mulberry yield occurs at 4-5 years... They accelerate the appearance of fruits with the help of grafts, after which the plant bears fruit in the third year. The berries ripen in July - August. Ripe fruits often fall off. To improve collection, a spunbond is laid under the bush.

Mulberry is increasingly being used in summer cottages... The mulberry plant is resistant to the climate of middle latitudes, quickly takes root and grows intensively. In case of freezing, the plant quickly adapts and gives new shoots. If during the first two years the seedlings have taken root in a new place, then they will tolerate winters well in the future. By showing concern, mulberries can be passed on to future generations. The plant can be up to 200 years old. And the sweet mulberries will benefit the body. After all, the mulberry tree is one of the most useful plants in the world.

Is it possible to grow mulberries in the middle zone of our country? Despite the fact that the tree has southern roots, according to reviews, the mulberry of certain varieties in the Moscow region grows and reproduces well. In the article you will find tips with photos on how to plant and care for mulberries.

Varieties and varieties

Mulberry is widespread in the subtropical zones of America, Africa and Asia, India, on the territory of the Middle Volga region and the Moscow region, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories, Nizhny Novgorod Region. This ancient culture has great importance as fruit and medicinal plant... Wood is a valuable material for making crafts, cooperage products and musical instruments. Juices, wine and vodka, vinegar, jelly are made from berries. Dried berries are added to the dough. Mulberry leaves are a valuable source of nutrition for the silkworm, the pupa of which is used to produce silk. It was from the mulberry bast that the Chinese began to produce paper.

Both the fruits and wood of the mulberry are in many ways useful for humans.

There are more than 17 types of mulberry. In our country, black mulberry and white are most often used. The difference between these species lies in the color of the bark, and not the color of the berries, as many are used to thinking. Black mulberries have a more pronounced flavor, so they are more often planted for fruit. White is considered much more frost-resistant.

Given the unpretentiousness of mulberries to growing conditions, the ability to tolerate air pollution, ease of formation and decorativeness, it is widely used for landscaping: dense hedges, in groups and singly, creating alleys. The most impressive are the following decorative forms:

golden;
weeping;

Weeping form

spherical;
large-leaved;

Large-leaved form

pyramidal;
dissected-leaved.

Mulberry planting

A favorable time for planting mulberries is spring or early autumn. The place is chosen well-lit, ideally - the southern slopes. Mulberry is undemanding to soil, can grow on saline soils, but prefers well-drained loams.

Choose a bright place for the seedling, protected from the wind.

Planting holes are prepared in advance so that the soil will stand. Size 70 x 70 cm and a depth of up to half a meter. The removed soil is mixed with a bucket of humus, half is placed in a hole, a seedling is placed on top, the roots are straightened and sprinkled with the remaining soil. Compact the soil around the stem and water it. Depending on the future formation of the seedling, the distance between the trees is set differently. 5 m is left between the standard forms, and 3 m between the bush forms.

After planting, the soil must be mulched - mulch will protect the roots of the plant from freezing in winter.

Advice. Mulberry is divided into male and female. It is better to purchase seedlings in the nursery that have already borne fruit once, so you will definitely get a fruiting tree. Males do not bear fruit and are used only for landscaping or decoration.

Mulberry care, fertilization and feeding

Mulberry farming techniques include watering, fertilizing, formative pruning, disease prevention and pest control.

Mulberry tolerates cutting and shaping very well. Withstands a temperature drop of up to 30 degrees, annual shoots may suffer. In cold regions, where freezing occurs often, the growing shoots form a bush and a bush form of mulberry is obtained, only sanitary pruning is needed in winter. Therefore, in the Moscow region, mulberry is a bush, not a tree.

Mulberry is a very hardy plant

Free growing mulberry reaches a height of 10 meters. It is better to create a tree on a one and a half meter trunk, straighten the branches in different directions and support with pruning. At such a height, it is also convenient to pick berries, and it is easy to care for the crown.

Enough for a young seedling nutrients that were introduced when landing in the pit. When the mulberry begins to bear fruit, the need for nutrition increases, it is necessary to apply fertilizers. On sandy soils, this activity is especially necessary. After thawing the soil, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. It is possible for each square. m add 50 g of nitroammofoska or apply an infusion of bird droppings, mullein. If necessary, this top dressing is repeated at the beginning of June. Potash and phosphorus elements can be added in the fall.

Advice. If pruning is too severe, mulberries can stop bearing fruit, keep this in mind if you are growing the tree for the berries.

Reproduction

Mulberry is reproduced by seeds, root shoots, layering, cuttings, cultivars vaccination.

Seeds... This method of propagation is used by breeders to obtain a stock of varietal seedlings. Usually, white mulberry seeds are used for this. Seeds need to be stratified before sowing. After 2 years, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place, and after another year they can be re-grafted with a cuttings from mulberries, which have tasty berries and bear fruit abundantly.
Mulberry seeds
Vaccination. On the stems of seedlings that have reached 1-2 m, varieties are grafted that allow you to create dwarf trees with a weeping crown or in the shape of a ball. Or they create trees in which different varieties are grafted on the same trunk, and they have berries of different colors, as well as the shape, size and color of the leaves.
From green cuttings get own-rooted seedlings. But this is difficult to do under normal conditions, so it is easier for the gardener to do it by layering. It is very difficult to propagate mulberry with lignified cuttings.
Green mulberry cuttings
Layers. The mother plant is cut off on a stump, a powerful growth for the next year is bent to the ground horizontally, added dropwise. Vertical shoots are spud several times over the summer, and in the fall, ready-made seedlings are planted. Mulberry begins fruiting at 7-10 years. The grafted seedlings begin bearing fruit earlier.

Diseases and pests

Mulberry is a fairly resistant plant to pathogenic flora and pests; in the middle lane, the culture suffers more from frost than from diseases. Diseases are divided into two etiologies: fungal and viral.

powdery mildew;
root rot;
tinder fungus is a fungus that feeds on living wood. A sign of lesion is gum flow, which appears when the blood vessels of the tree are blocked. Not subject to treatment. Infection occurs when wood is damaged;

Tinder fungus

curly leafy is a virus that cannot be cured. Sucking insects are the main source of infection;
bacteriosis;
brown spot.

Brown spot on mulberry leaves

The development of the pathogen can be facilitated by the introduction of an excessive dose of nitrogen or a lack of nutrients, thickening of the crown.

Mulberry pests: beetle larva, bear, wireworm, white American butterfly, comstock worms, spider mites.

Protect the berry harvest from birds

The spider mite is recognizable by the cobweb on the underside of the leaf. It feeds on plant sap, which leads to browning and shedding of the leaf apparatus. The mite reproduces very quickly. The method of struggle is spraying with thiophos.

Khrushchev, bear and wireworm damage root system, which is especially dangerous for young plants. Also, through wounds caused by insects, mulberries can become infected with diseases.

Birds love to feast on mulberries. To preserve the harvest, you need to throw a fine mesh or agrofibre over the tree.

Proper care of mulberry: video

How to plant and grow mulberries: photo

Mulberry (Morus), also called mulberry, or mulberry tree, is a deciduous tree belonging to the genus of the Mulberry family. According to information taken from various sources, this genus unites 17-24 species. These plants can be found in natural conditions in the temperate and subtropical zones of Africa, North America and Asia. Among the most popular species is the white mulberry, silkworm larvae feed on its foliage, their pupae are used for the production of natural silk. Under Ivan the Terrible in Russia, they already knew about mulberry, at that time a silk-weaving manufactory was created, in which they made very delicate fabric for the royal court. In turn, Peter I forbade cutting mulberries on the territory of the state, since they were considered very valuable. The dense, resilient and heavy wood of the mulberry tree is also very valuable; in Central Asia it is used for the manufacture of various crafts, musical instruments and barrels.

Features of mulberry

While the mulberry is young, it is characterized by extremely fast growth, but over time it becomes slower. As a result, the height of such a tree does not exceed 15 meters. Simple sheet plates are often lobed, they are alternately spaced and serrated along the edge. Spike inflorescences consist of small flowers, which are either female or male (dioecious). However, there are such mulberry trees on which both female and male flowers (monoecious) can open simultaneously. The length of the fleshy mulberry fruits is from 20 to 30 mm, they are false berries, or rather, drupes of various colors (from dark purple, almost black, to white) connected into one whole. This plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, it is able to grow and develop normally, even if it is not cared for at all. The mulberry tree begins to bear fruit in the fifth year of life. The average life span of such a plant is about two hundred years; today there are specimens that are at least 500 years old.

The most popular among gardeners are 2 types of mulberry - black and white, while they differ in the color of the bark, not the fruit. In a white mulberry tree, the bark on the branches is painted in a light color (cream, pale yellow or white), while the branches of the black mulberry tree are covered with a darker bark. Today, this plant is as widespread in culture as other fruit trees, for example: cherry, plum, apple, sweet cherry, etc.

Planting mulberries in open ground

What time to plant

Plant mulberries in open ground it is possible in spring time in April before the sap flow begins, or in autumn in September and October, but you need to be in time before the rainy season. Many gardeners recommend planting in the fall, as it is believed that if the tree survives the winter months, it is destined to live for many years.

Try to choose the most suitable place for the plant in your garden. Mulberry prefers well-lit areas with reliable protection from the cold wind. Mulberries should not be planted on swampy, sandy and saline soil, and the groundwater on the site must lie at a depth of at least 150 cm.Plants with only male flowers cannot bear fruit on their own, however, it is possible to find out the floor of the seedling only after he will be 4 or 5 years old. In this regard, experienced gardeners recommend buying three-year-old seedlings that have given the first offspring.

Planting mulberries in autumn

A pit for planting should be prepared at least 15 days before the day of planting, its size directly depends on the size of the plant's root system. It should be borne in mind that the roots should be placed in the pit freely. The average size of the pit is 0.5x0.5x0.5 m. In the event that the soil on the site is poor, then the depth of the pit is increased, since compost or rotted manure in the amount of 5-7 kilograms will have to be poured onto its bottom, to which 100 gram of superphosphate. This layer must be sprinkled with soil, as it should not come into contact with the root system of the plant. After half a month after preparing the pit, you need to start planting a mulberry tree directly. The root system of the seedling must be placed in the pit, after it is straightened, it is added dropwise, while the stem must be shaken all the time, otherwise there will be many voids in the soil. When the plant is planted, the soil in the trunk circle must be tamped, then 20 liters of water are poured under it. When the liquid is completely absorbed into the soil, the surface of the trunk circle must be covered with a layer of mulch. For a thin and weak seedling, you will need a support, which is driven into the center of the bottom of the pit before planting. When the mulberry tree is planted, it should be tied to this support. If the soil on the site is clayey and heavy, then at the bottom of the pit it is imperative to make a drainage layer of broken brick.

Spring planting

Planting mulberries in open ground in autumn and spring is almost the same. The difference is that for spring planting the pit is prepared in the autumn, while the necessary nutrient mixture is poured into it. Planting is carried out in early spring, it needs to be completed in April.

Growing mulberries in the garden

You need to take care of the mulberry tree grown in the garden in the same way as for other crops. It needs to be watered, weeded, cut, fed, treated against pests and diseases in a timely manner, as well as the surface of the trunk circle must be loosened.

Mulberry processing

To significantly reduce the risk of tree injury various diseases or pests, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive treatments, while it is necessary to spray not only the plant itself, but also the surface of the trunk circle. For treatments, insecticides and fungicides are used. It is recommended to carry out such spraying in the first days of April on dormant buds, as well as in October, when the growing season ends. A solution of Nitrafen or Bordeaux mixture (3%) will help you cope with various diseases and pests. In the spring, it is recommended to spray the tree with a solution of urea (7%), which will exterminate all pests and pathogenic microorganisms, and will also become a source of nitrogen for the plant, which is so necessary for it at the beginning of the growing season.

Mulberry watering

To make the mulberry tree more winter-hardy, it must be watered regularly from the beginning of the spring to July. This should be done during a severe drought. Since July, the plant cannot be watered. If there is a large amount of rain in the spring, then there is no need to water the mulberry.

Mulberry feeding

From the beginning of the spring period to July, such a tree needs feeding. In the spring, the plant most of all needs nitrogen fertilizers, and in the summer - in potash and phosphorus.

Mulberry in the suburbs and in Moscow

The Moscow region and Moscow climate is not quite suitable for growing mulberries. However, for a long time they learned to grow such southern crops as apricots, grapes, and mulberry is no longer so rare. This plant covered with snow is able to survive a drop in air temperature to minus 30 degrees. However, if the winter period turns out to be of little snow, then the mulberry tree may die even when the temperature drops to minus 7-10 degrees. In this regard, during the planting of mulberries in the Moscow region, its root collar should not be very much buried in the soil.

Since the duration of daylight hours in the Moscow region does not meet the requirements of mulberry, such a plant, which is grown in the Moscow region, has 2 growing seasons per year - in spring and autumn. This tree has an unusual ability, it can form cork tissue between the mature and immature part of the stem. As a result, a mulberry tree in autumn can throw off those parts of the shoot that are not viable, which will allow it to survive the winter well. In this regard, in the autumn in the Moscow region and Moscow, such a culture fly around not only leaf plates, but also parts of the stems. This is the only difference in mulberry cultivation compared to warmer regions.

Mulberry in Siberia

It is possible to cultivate this plant in Siberia only if its frost resistance is increased. It is difficult to do this, but it is possible if desired. If a gardener has a very strong desire to grow mulberry trees in a region with a cold climate, then he must definitely study the articles of experienced gardeners V. Shalamov and G. Kazanin.

Mulberry pruning

Mulberry pruning is recommended during partial or complete rest. The tree tolerates pruning best in early spring before sap flow begins. As a rule, rejuvenating and formative pruning is recommended from the last days of April to the first - May, before the kidneys open. In the autumn, when the leaf fall ends, they spend sanitary pruning, while the air temperature outside should not be less than minus 10 degrees.

How to prune mulberries

Different types of mulberry trees have different pruning characteristics. For example, the weeping mulberry needs thinning pruning, as well as pruning of stems and branches. Since this species is restored in a relatively short time, even very strong pruning is not afraid of it.

A stamped mulberry tree only needs to form a crown. To do this, on a long stem, on which branches are completely absent, you need to form a lush spherical cap or a falling cascade of branches.

The decorative mulberry is the most difficult to form. It will also be difficult to systematically maintain the original shape of the tree.

Mulberry pruning in spring

While the plant is young from its trunk to a height of 150 centimeters, it is necessary to cut off all branches. In this case, in an adult plant, the branches will not descend to the surface of the site. The preserved conductor can grow up to 5–6 meters by trimming all competing stems. If you don't want to do formative pruning, then just let the crown grow naturally. You can form a not very tall tree, which is convenient to care for. To do this, the apical shoot must be cut at a height of 1.35-1.7 m, then the skeleton is formed, which should be similar to dwarf apple tree... Such a tree should have 8 to 10 skeletal branches. When the plant is formed, you will need to maintain the created shape by cutting and plucking those stems that are not needed. It is not recommended to prune drooping branches; instead, they must be propped up.

Pruning mulberries in autumn

When all the foliage flies from the tree in the autumn, you need to start preparing it for wintering. So, at this time, it is necessary to make mandatory sanitary pruning, for this you should cut out all injured, dried, damaged by frost or disease, excessively thin branches and stems, as well as those that grow inside the crown. As a rule, mulberry trees do not need annual sanitary pruning.

Mulberry propagation

Mulberries can be propagated in a generative (seed) way, as well as vegetatively - by grafting, offspring, lignified and green cuttings, and also by layering.

How to grow from seeds

The seeds should be removed from the fruits of the current season from about the middle to the last days of October, for this you need to remove all the pulp. Then they are immersed for 1-2 hours in a solution of a growth-stimulating agent (for example, Zircon or Epin). After that, they are sown in open soil. In the event that you are engaged in sowing at the beginning of the spring period, then the seeds will need to be stratified before this for 4-8 weeks. It is possible not to stratify the seeds, but in this case they will need pre-sowing preparation. To do this, in spring, immediately before sowing, the seeds must be immersed in cold water for 24 hours, then they are taken out and kept for the same amount of time in a very warm water(from 50 to 53 degrees).

For the garden bed, choose a well-lit, unshaded place. Then you need to prepare the grooves and spill them with water, having previously dissolved in it fertilizers intended for fruit and berry crops. The seeds of this plant are small, and they should be sown as rarely as possible. They should be buried in the soil by 30-50 mm. The bed must be well watered when the seeds are embedded in the ground, and then its surface is covered with a layer of mulch. In autumn, the mulching layer is made thicker than in spring, since in winter the seeds can freeze out. The appeared seedlings need to be systematically watered, weeded and fed. By the onset of the autumn period, grown and strengthened seedlings can be planted, while, depending on the mulberry variety, the distance between the plants should be 3-5 meters. A plant grown from seed begins to bear fruit after 5 or 6 years. This method of reproduction has one significant drawback, namely, a tree that has grown from seeds inherits only part of the varietal traits of the parent plant, or does not inherit them at all. In this regard, seedlings grown in this way are most often used as rootstocks for budding.

Mulberry propagation by offspring

If in a very cold winter the mulberry tree suffers greatly from frost, then its developed root offspring can be used to replace the frozen tree. On this offspring, a crown is gradually formed. Unnecessary shoots should be removed, and if desired, they can be removed from the soil along with the root system, the stems should be shortened by 1/3 part and then used as seedlings. This method is good because the offspring are able to fully preserve the varietal characteristics of the parent plant.

Mulberry propagation by cuttings

If the tree is rooted, then green cuttings can be used to propagate it. But the complexity of this method is that you need a special installation that can create a small water suspension in the form of fog in the greenhouse. Cuttings are harvested in June-July, at which time the plant has an active growth of mulberry. Cuttings are cut from the stems, which should be 15 to 20 centimeters long and have 2 or 3 buds. They are planted in the greenhouse at an angle of 45 degrees. In very loose soil, the lower cut of the cutting should be stuck to a depth of 30 mm. Only a couple of upper leaf plates should be left on the handle, which are shortened by ½ part. It is necessary to make sure that there is an environment in the greenhouse high humidity... Young shoots and a powerful root system will appear in plants by autumn, but planting them in open soil should be postponed until the next spring period.

Mulberries can also be propagated by semi-lignified cuttings, which are harvested at the same time as green ones. Such cuttings should be rooted in the same way as green ones. The disadvantage of such reproduction is that the rooting of semi-lignified cuttings is relatively slow. A tree grown in this way inherits absolutely all varietal characteristics of the parent plant.

Mulberry grafting

All known methods can be used to inoculate mulberry trees. However, experienced gardeners recommend opting for copulation (grafting on a cut with a cuttings). If a simple copulation is used, then the scion and rootstock are spliced, the thickness of which should be the same. On the rootstock and the scion between the two buds, oblique cuts should be made, while their length should be equal to the diameter of the spliced plants, multiplied by 4 (for example, if the diameter of the rootstock and scion cuttings is 1.2 cm, then the length of the sections will be 4.8 cm ). Align the sections with each other and wrap them with any elastic material or eyepiece tape.

Improved copulation with a tongue is also used. To do this, cuts must be made on the cutting and rootstock in the same way as described above, after which they must be supplemented with tongue-notches. It is necessary to retreat from the end of the cut 1/3 of its length, then an incision is made to the middle of the cut on the scion up, and on the rootstock down. Places of cuts must be attached to each other, after which the tongues are wound in such a way that they are very closely aligned. At the very end, the vaccination site must be wrapped with tape.

Mulberry diseases with photos and descriptions

The mulberry tree is distinguished by a fairly high resistance to various diseases, but in some cases it can also get sick. Most often he suffers from brown leaf spot (cylindrosporiasis), curly small leaves, powdery mildew and bacteriosis. Also, the tree can be damaged by the tinder fungus.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease. In the affected plant, a whitish bloom forms on the surface of the stems and leaf plates. In the dry period, the disease develops most actively, especially if the crown of the plant is thickened. As soon as the first symptoms of the disease are found, the tree must be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture, Fundazol, or a suspension of colloidal sulfur. For the purpose of prevention, in the autumn, you need to rake and destroy all the foliage that has flown around.

Cylindrosporiasis

Brown leaf spot is also a fungal disease. In the affected specimen, spots of red-purple color are formed on the surface of the leaf plates, which have a ring border. As the disease progresses, the leaf tissue inside the specks spills out, the foliage itself turns yellow and flies around. As soon as the first signs of the disease are noticed, the tree should be treated with Silita solution (1%). In this case, about 3 liters of this solution should go to one plant. Re-processing is carried out half a month after the first.

Bacteriosis

Most often, young stems and leaf plates of a mulberry tree are affected by bacteriosis. Irregular specks appear on their surface, over time they turn black. As a result of the development of the disease, twisting and flying of the foliage occurs, as well as deformation of the stems, while gum-like clots are formed on their surface. To combat this disease, the drug Gamair or Fitoflavin is used. However, it should be noted that it is not always possible to cure a plant with bacteriosis. In this case, you must try to prevent infection by regularly carrying out preventive treatments.

Small-leaved curl

Pests are carriers of such a viral disease as small-leaved curl. In a diseased tree, the foliage shrinks between the veins, and then grainy nodularity forms. As the disease progresses, the leaf plates shrink and collapse, the stems become very fragile and rough, while an abnormal increase in their number is observed. This disease cannot be cured, which is why preventive measures are so important. To prevent the plant from becoming infected, it is necessary to fight insect vectors, these include all sucking pests, for example: thrips, aphids, ticks, etc.

Tinder

Mulberry pests with photos and descriptions

Pests on mulberry rarely settle. Most often, this plant is harmed by American butterflies, Comstock worms, spider mites and mulberry moths.

White american butterfly

The greatest danger to the mulberry tree is the American white butterfly. The caterpillars of this pest are brown-green, with orange-yellow stripes on the sides and black warts on their surface. These caterpillars are able to gnaw all the foliage on the mulberry. Inspect the tree, cut and destroy the found spider nests. Special trapping belts must be installed on the trunk, and the crown of the plant must be sprayed with Chlorophos.

Mulberry moth

The caterpillars of the mulberry moth also feed on the foliage of this culture. To protect the plant from such pests, it should be treated with Chlorophos in the spring, when the buds are just beginning to swell, because it is at this time that such caterpillars appear.

Spider mites

If spider mites settle on a tree, then the thinnest cobwebs can be seen on it. The pests themselves are very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, such mites pose a great danger to mulberries. Mites pierce the surface of the leaf plates and suck the juice out of them. As a result, the foliage becomes brown and flies around. You should also know that this pest is one of the main carriers of viral diseases that cannot be cured. A tick is an arachnid insect, therefore, to exterminate it, it is necessary to use acaricidal agents, for example: Actellik, Kleschevit, etc.

Worm Comstock

Another sucking insect is the Comstock worm. It settles on foliage, bark and branches of mulberry trees. The worm also feeds on the sap of the plant, as a result of which it is greatly weakened. Because of such a pest, tumors and wounds appear on the tree, deformation and drying of the branches occur, and the foliage turns yellow and flies around. To destroy the worms, the tree must be sprayed with pesticide.

Types and varieties of mulberry with a description

Mulberry has an extremely confusing classification. According to information taken from various sources, this genus unites 17-200 species. The fact is that there are a large number of natural mulberry hybrids, which individual scientists distinguish into independent species. Below will be described 3 types of mulberry trees that are most popular with gardeners.

Red mulberry (Morus rubra)

The homeland of this species is North America. This plant is distinguished by its hardiness, unpretentiousness and resistance to cold and drought. The height of such a tree can vary from 10 to 20 meters. The crown has the shape of a tent. The bark is brownish brown. In length, leaf plates reach 12 centimeters, they can be rounded, long-pointed or ovoid, their front surface is rough, and the wrong side is felt. Leaf plates on young shoots are deep-lobed. Sweet-sour juicy fruits reach 30 mm in length, they have a dark red, almost black color. Outwardly, they are similar to the fruits of blackberries. Ripening of mulberry fruits is observed in the last days of July. As a rule, representatives of this species are dioecious plants and therefore, in order for them to bear fruit, they need a pair of the opposite sex. Monoecious plants are very rare. This species has a decorative form - felt mulberry: the seamy surface of the leaf plates has a dense pubescence of white color.

Black mulberry (Morus nigra)

The homeland of this species is Afghanistan and Iran. The height of such a tree with a spreading crown can reach no more than 15 meters. Large, asymmetrical leaf plates have a wide ovoid shape, their length is about 20 centimeters, and their width is about 15 centimeters. Their front surface is rough, and the seamy side is felt. The shiny, black fruits are about 30 mm long and have a sweet and sour taste. This species is resistant to drought, but has less winter hardiness compared to white and red mulberries. New shapes have been generated based on the base view:

Repaired... It is a very compact dwarf form. It is often cultured in a container.
Shelley number 150... This large-fruited form is distinguished by its yield. The length of juicy and sweet fruits can reach 55 mm. The foliage is also very large, its length can be up to 50 cm. Such leaf plates are used for decorative purposes.

The most popular among gardeners are the following varieties: Royal, Black Prince, Black Pearl, Fruit-4 and Nadezhda.

White mulberry (Morus alba)

The homeland of this species is China, where it prefers to grow in deciduous forests. The height of a tree with a lush spherical crown can reach 20 meters. The fissured bark is brown. The bark of young branches is colored in various shades from brown-red to green-gray. Interestingly, leaf plates of various sizes and shapes can grow on the same tree. In the summer, the color of the foliage is dark green, and in the autumn it is yellow-straw. Fruit fruits of sweet taste can be colored in different colors, their shape is similar to that of raspberries or blackberries. This species is characterized by winter hardiness, unpretentiousness and endurance to urban conditions. There are a large number of decorative forms:

Weeping... In height, such a plant can reach 5 meters. Its drooping branches are very thin.
Pyramidal... The height of such plants with a narrow pyramidal crown does not exceed 8 meters. The leaf plates are bladed.
Spherical... The lush crown has a spherical shape.
Spoon-shaped... Such a multi-stemmed tree reaches a height of 5 meters. Foliage is concave folded. The berries ripen relatively early.
Large-leaved. The foliage is about 22 centimeters long.
Common narrow-leaved... In this bush-like form, small leaf plates are notched and very rough.
Dissected... Such a plant is distinguished by its elegance. The leaf plates are divided into regular narrow blades. A pair of lateral and apical lobes are too elongated.
Golden... The color of young shoots and foliage is yellow-golden.
Tatarskaya... This undersized tree is characterized by slow growth and high frost resistance. Small leaves are multi-lobed.

If you want to grow mulberries for fruit, and not to decorate the garden, then you should pay attention to the highly productive varieties of white mulberry:

White honey... On such tall plant very sweet berries grow white, reaching 30 mm in length.
Dark girl... The variety is distinguished by its yield and winter hardiness. Black berries have a sweet and sour taste and are about 35 mm long.
White tenderness... The variety has a high yield. Delicate white berries reach 50 mm in length.
Luganochka... The variety is highly productive. The sweet, cream-colored berries are about 55 mm long.
Black Baroness... The variety is early-maturing, winter-hardy. Sweet fragrant berries reach 35 mm in length.
Staromoskovskaya... The variety with a spherical crown is winter-hardy. The sweet fruit is almost black in color and is about 30 mm long.
Ukrainian-6... This early maturing variety is distinguished by its yield. Black berries reach 40 millimeters or more in length.

Also popular are such varieties as: Diana, White tenderness, Snow White and Mashenka.

The varieties with the largest fruits are White Tenderness, Shelley No. 150, Black Pearl and Black Prince.

Black mulberry varieties are not suitable for growing in the Moscow region. However, some varieties of white mulberry have been successfully cultivated in mid-latitudes for many years, namely: Vladimirskaya, Korolevskaya, White honey and Staromoskovskaya.

Mulberry properties: benefits and harms

Useful properties of mulberry

Mulberry possesses healing properties, and this is due to the included in its composition: vitamins A, K, E and C, microelements selenium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper, macronutrients phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium. Ripe berries contain riboflavin, pantothenic and folic acids, tocopherol, pyridoxine and choline.

In alternative medicine, such fruits are used quite widely. Green fruits help with heartburn and diarrhea, and ripe fruits have a laxative effect and are used for constipation. In case of sore throat, it is rinsed with fruit juice, which is diluted with boiled water. For bronchitis, acute respiratory infections and bronchial asthma, an infusion of fruits and bark is used.

An infusion of foliage is used as an antipyretic agent for fever. In case of hypertension, it is recommended to use a decoction of the bark and roots, which has a diuretic effect. Experts advise a person with myocardial dystrophy and heart disease to eat as many mulberry fruits as possible: 4 times a day, 0.3 kg for 4 weeks.

A decoction of dried fruits should be drunk with insomnia and stress, since it contains many B vitamins, which have a positive effect on carbohydrate and protein metabolism, and also support the activity of the nervous system.

Fruits are also recommended to be eaten during the recovery period after surgery, as well as during physical overload. The fact is that the magnesium, potassium and quercitin contained in fruits have beneficial influence on hematopoiesis.

The remedy Fomedol, which is made from mulberry foliage in Vietnam, is used for skin diseases and rheumatism.

Powdered bark combined with oil helps to heal cuts, wounds, bruises and ulcers in a short time. If ringworm is smeared with fresh fruit juice several times a day, it will disappear very quickly. However, the most important thing is that the mulberry tree is in one of the first places in terms of potassium content. In this regard, it is recommended to use it for hypokalemia (lack of potassium in the body).

Potential harm

Mulberry can harm only when a person has an individual intolerance. Eating too much fruit can lead to digestive upset. The same effect is observed with the use of unripe berries. Remember also that mulberry juice and fruits are extremely poorly combined with other juices and fruits, as a result of which fermentation occurs in the intestines. In this regard, they must be eaten separately (a couple of hours before and 2 hours after another meal).

When growing mulberries in the middle lane, the process has its own characteristics, however, with minimal care, you can regularly get a harvest of tasty and healthy berries. Many varieties of unpretentious plants have perfectly adapted to the harsh climate.

Appearance and varieties

Mulberry (mulberry) is more often a dioecious tree or bush with a height of 1 to 15 m. There are both female and male plants. The monoecious mulberry is less common. The fruit is a fleshy polystyrene, ranging in size from 1 to 5 cm. There are varieties with berries of white, dark purple and pink flowers.

Depending on the individual characteristics fruiting plants can last as long as 2-3 weeks or more than a month. It occurs only on female specimens of the mulberry tree.

A healthy mulberry can grow and bear fruit from 150 to 300 years, depending on the type and development conditions.

In the northern regions, varieties of white mulberry are grown (they do not take into account the color of the berries, but the shades of the plant bark). Specimens are planted with a light yellowish or light beige shade of the trunk and branches. At the same time, the fruits on the plant can be both dark and light, and the frost resistance of such a mulberry tree is higher.

"White Honey" is a high-yielding variety, resistant to low temperatures, with appetizing fruits, which is actively grown in the Moscow region. Not demanding on the soil, however, the berries themselves have a very short term storage - about 6 hours.
"Black Baroness" is a tree with large berries (4 cm). The variety is high-yielding and frost-resistant.
"Vladimirskaya" is a red-fruited variety with dark purple fruits. Doesn't need pollinators, lends itself well different types shaping. A distinctive feature of the variety is its high frost resistance. Suitable for growing in Siberia.

Reproduction

There are several main ways to get new mulberries. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages.

Seeds.

This method is not difficult to use, but it is time consuming. Usually it is used by breeders to obtain a stock of varietal seedlings. The resulting plants do not always retain the properties of the parent tree.

After collecting the fruits, seeds are isolated from them - for this, the berries are dried and rubbed through cheesecloth or a sieve. Store in a dry place until work is carried out, after two years they are sown in open ground. Usually stratification is carried out two months before sowing. Seed material in April is placed in a fertile soil mixture to a depth of about 2 cm. At a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees, the seeds germinate in about four weeks. They are regularly watered, loosened up the soil, removed weeds in the area with plantings. For the winter, be sure to mulch.

Specimens grown from seeds of local plants adapt better to the conditions of a particular region.

From seedlings, female and male specimens of the mulberry tree grow. Before flowering, it is impossible to determine the sex of the plant. For the first time, mulberries grown from seeds begin to bear fruit around the 4th year after planting. Only female specimens are left, as they can form fruits without the presence of male plants.

Cuttings.

Use green twigs with 4-6 leaves. Cuttings are carried out at the beginning of summer, placing blanks under a film in a greenhouse. They take root after about a month and a half. For the winter, young plants are covered, and the next spring they are transplanted to a permanent growing place. It is more difficult to root semi-lignified cuttings, they are harvested in the middle of summer.

Root processes and layering.

For cultivation, in early spring, the lower branch is bent to the soil. It is fixed and lightly sprinkled with earth. At the fold, the bark is slightly peeled off to stimulate root formation. By the fall, the root system is formed.

By vaccination.

It is carried out in early spring, before sap flow begins. White mulberry with high frost resistance is usually used as a stock. Several varieties of mulberry with different biological properties can be grafted onto one tree. It is easy to carry out a simple copulation when the same indirect cuts are made between the buds on the scion and rootstock. They are connected, firmly held together and do not allow displacement.

Mulberry tolerates transplantation well, two-year-old trees take root especially easily.

How to plant?

For residents of the middle lane, it is preferable to plant mulberries in the spring - the plant will get stronger during the growing season and will better survive the cold winter. You can plant in the fall, after leaf fall. In this case, it is important that the mulberry tree has time to settle down and get stronger before frost.

A few weeks before the work is carried out, fertile soil is applied to the site: leafy soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 2. You can put fertilizer directly into the hole before planting. A compost bucket is added to the bottom of each hole. The size of the planting hole depends on the size of the plant, on average - 80 x 80 x 60 cm. Approximately 70 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium salt are pre-poured into it. The roots of the plant are not shortened, they are placed in water for 10 minutes before planting, and carefully straightened in the hole. When planting, the root collar is deepened by a couple of centimeters. The plant is covered with earth, watered and rammed around the trunk circle. A layer of mulch with a thickness of at least 5 cm from peat, humus or cut grass is placed on top.

Mulberry is a large tree, the distance between adjacent specimens should be at least 5-6 m. For the winter, young plants must be mulched with a layer of needles, fallen leaves or straw.

When purchasing seedlings, preference is given to specimens grown in the local region. Plants brought to the middle lane from the southern regions adapt worse and may not survive the harsh winter.

Cultivation secrets

The mulberry tree does not require special growing conditions, it is enough to adhere to simple rules.

The plant will like a warm place protected from northern and eastern winds without drafts, preferably on the southern side of the site.
Mulberry prefers a well-drained area with loamy and fertile soil. When planting in empty sandy soil, mineral fertilizing is applied and drainage is made from broken brick or crushed stone.
Mulberry grows poorly in wetlands and low-lying areas with a high location of groundwater.
In hot and dry weather, regular watering is carried out, about 10 liters of water per adult tree. During rainy and cool weather, additional irrigation is not needed.
Young specimens must be covered for the winter. The root system is sensitive to a decrease in temperature, therefore, before frost, the trunk circle is mulched. With good snow cover, adapted varieties in the middle lane can withstand frost of -30 degrees.
For better ripening of wood in the fall, pinch the tops of the shoots, regularly form a crown.

In the middle lane, the white variety reaches a height of 6 m. Annual twigs can freeze out during a harsh winter, but the tree quickly grows new shoots.

"Sex change" of a mulberry tree can be provoked by pruning, breaking off leaves.

Crown formation

Without pruning, the mulberry grows unevenly, its appearance deteriorates, and the yield decreases. The tree reaches three meters in height in the first five years of life, if you do not carry out the formation of the plant. With regular pruning, the maximum height of adult specimens will be no more than 5 meters.

To form the crown, mulberries are shortened during the period of the beginning of sap flow, in March. Work is carried out with a sharp tool, trying not to damage the bark of the tree. It is not necessary to process fresh sections with garden varnish or other means, this lengthens the period of wound healing.

About once every 10 years in the middle lane there is a strong freezing of mulberries. In this case, not only young shoots are affected, but also skeletal branches. The damaged parts are removed. Due to the good frost resistance of the roots, the plant quickly recovers. Over the next growing season, it grows powerful young shoots about 2 meters long.

Sanitary pruning is performed in the fall. Sick, weak and injured shoots are removed.

Mulberry is sometimes formed in the form of a bush up to 3 m tall. So it is more convenient to care for it and harvest. For such a form, at a height of about one and a half meters from the ground, the central part of the trunk is cut off above the third or fourth strong shoot. The crown forms a low stem of 8-10 branches. In summer, extra new shoots are plucked out when they are still in a herbaceous state. In fruit-bearing trees, the crown is also thinned out, the size of the branches is limited as necessary.

Mulberry can be grown as a single-stemmed tree. At the same time, annual shoots are regularly removed, limiting the rapid growth of the tree. Young branches are pinched (pinched), completing work before the beginning of August.

Top dressing

Fruiting mulberries in early spring, before bud break, are fed with nitroammophos. For 10 liters of water, take 50 g of fertilizer. In the summer they are fed with a complex fertilizer, for example, "Kemiroi Universal", at the rate of 20 g per square meter landings. In the fall, for better wintering, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied; it is useful to add 200 g of ash per square meter of plantings during digging.

When watering, trees can be fed with liquid fermented manure. For one part of the fertilizer, take about six parts of water. Instead of manure, bird droppings are also used (1 part of droppings for 10-12 parts of water). Since the second half of summer, nitrogen fertilizers have not been used. Later, the introduction of such a top dressing provokes the growth of young shoots. The branches do not have time to ripen before the onset of frost and do not tolerate winter well, they can freeze out.

Diseases and pests

Mulberry can be affected by bacteriosis, powdery mildew and root rot.

The thickening of the plantings and the lack of moisture can provoke the appearance of a white powdery coating. At the first signs of fungus, they are sprayed twice with a fungicide, for example "Fundazol", with an interval of a week.
With bacteriosis, irregular spots appear on the leaves, which gradually turn black, the leaves fall off over time, the shoots are covered with long brown spots. For treatment use "Fitoflavin" or "Gamair". No unnecessary watering - The best way avoid root rot.

To prevent fungal diseases in late autumn, all the leaves are burned.

Various parts of the tree can be affected by wireworms, spider mites, bears, mulberry barbel, beetles. In case of weak pest infestation, especially on young or short plants, they can be removed mechanically. In case of a massive attack, insecticides are used according to instructions, for example, "Decis", "Confidor", "Aktaru".

Beneficial features

The mulberry has valuable wood, and its leaves are food for the silkworm, with which natural silk is produced.

The fruits of the plant have many beneficial properties. Berries are used to treat colds and bowel problems. They contain a lot of macro- and microelements, useful vitamins, including folic acids. The fruits are recommended for use in case of violations of the cardiovascular system. They have diaphoretic, choleretic and anti-inflammatory effects.

With diabetes and hypertension, berries are used with caution.

Harvesting

The first single berries on a mulberry tree may appear already on a two- or three-year-old tree. From about five years of age, yields are abundant and regular. The size of the berries in the first years of fruiting is usually smaller; on adult specimens, the fruits are larger. They reach their maximum size by the age of ten.

Mulberries ripen unevenly and overripe quickly. If you miss the moment, then they crumble from the branches and cover the ground under the tree with a solid carpet. It is important to harvest on time. To do this, spread the fabric under the crown of the mulberry, and shake the tree well. The berries are harvested and used for food or processed immediately after they are removed from the tree.

Mulberry is a plastic crop that has adapted to various climatic conditions. Its cultivation in the middle lane will not be difficult if you use frost-resistant varieties and properly organize the care of a non-capricious plant.

The prepared soil is poured into the pit so that it settles down. This supply of nutrients will help the plant grow rapidly for several years. In the spring, the seedling is placed in a pit.

Given the fact that mulberries are afraid of frost, it is recommended to deepen the root collar by a couple of centimeters when planting.

Watered, covered with a harvested layer of earth. The trunk circle is mulched with a layer of humus, peat or grass at least 5 cm thick. The mulberry needs regular watering until its root system is able to provide the tree with sufficient moisture.

In autumn, a young mulberry tree is covered with a non-woven material.

The trunk circle is mulched with straw, spruce branches. This will protect the root system from frost. If the branches are frozen, they quickly recover. Mulberry is sick relatively little. There are even fewer such cases in the northern regions. For example, such dangerous disease, like bacterial wilting, is common only in the south. In the Moscow region, mulberry can be affected by leaf spot. This is a fungal disease, so you can fight it with fungicides containing copper. The crown is thinned out before processing. This will improve ventilation inside it and make it easier to access the branches.

More information can be found in the video:

Appearance and varieties

Mulberry (mulberry) is more often a dioecious tree or bush with a height of 1 to 15 m. There are both female and male plants. The monoecious mulberry is less common. The fruit is a fleshy polystyrene with a size of 1 to 5 cm. There are varieties with berries of white, dark purple and pink flowers.

Depending on the individual characteristics of the plant, fruiting can last as long as 2-3 weeks or more than a month. It occurs only on female specimens of the mulberry tree.

A healthy mulberry can grow and bear fruit from 150 to 300 years, depending on the type and development conditions.

Mulberry is actively cultivated in the southern regions; about 17 species of this plant are known. Over time, the distribution area of the mulberry tree has moved far to the north. Some of its varieties are grown in many areas of the middle zone, for example, in the Moscow region, in the Urals and in Siberia. This is possible due to the plant's ability to quickly restore vegetative mass.

In the northern regions, varieties of white mulberry are grown (they do not take into account the color of the berries, but the shades of the plant bark). Specimens are planted with a light yellowish or light beige shade of the trunk and branches. At the same time, the fruits on the plant can be both dark and light, and the frost resistance of such a mulberry tree is higher.

"White Honey" is a high-yielding variety, resistant to low temperatures, with appetizing fruits, which is actively cultivated in the Moscow region. Not demanding on the soil, however, the berries themselves have a very short shelf life - about 6 hours.
"Black Baroness" is a tree with large berries (4 cm). The variety is high-yielding and frost-resistant.
"Vladimirskaya" is a red-fruited variety with dark purple fruits. Does not need pollinators, lends itself well to different types of formation. A distinctive feature of the variety is its high frost resistance. Suitable for growing in Siberia.

Reproduction

There are several main ways to get new mulberries. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages.

Seeds.

Specimens grown from seeds of local plants adapt better to the conditions of a particular region.

Cuttings.

Root processes and layering.

By vaccination.

Mulberry tolerates transplantation well, two-year-old trees take root especially easily.

How to plant?

Mulberry is a large tree, the distance between adjacent specimens should be at least 5-6 m. For the winter, young plants must be mulched with a layer of needles, fallen leaves or straw.

When purchasing seedlings, preference is given to specimens grown in the local region. Plants brought to the middle lane from the southern regions adapt worse and may not survive the harsh winter.

Cultivation secrets

The mulberry tree does not require special growing conditions, it is enough to adhere to simple rules.

The plant will like a warm place protected from northern and eastern winds without drafts, preferably on the southern side of the site.
Mulberry prefers a well-drained area with loamy and fertile soil. When planting in empty sandy soil, mineral fertilizing is applied and drainage is made from broken brick or crushed stone.
Mulberry grows poorly in wetlands and low-lying areas with a high location of groundwater.
In hot and dry weather, regular watering is carried out, about 10 liters of water per adult tree. During rainy and cool weather, additional irrigation is not needed.
Young specimens must be covered for the winter. The root system is sensitive to a decrease in temperature, therefore, before frost, the trunk circle is mulched. With good snow cover, adapted varieties in the middle lane can withstand frost of -30 degrees.
For better ripening of wood in the fall, pinch the tops of the shoots, regularly form a crown.

In the middle lane, the white variety reaches a height of 6 m. Annual twigs can freeze out during a harsh winter, but the tree quickly grows new shoots.

"Sex change" of a mulberry tree can be provoked by pruning, breaking off leaves.

Crown formation

Sanitary pruning is performed in the fall. Sick, weak and injured shoots are removed.

Mulberry can be grown as a single-stemmed tree. At the same time, annual shoots are regularly removed, limiting the rapid growth of the tree. Young branches are pinched (pinched), completing work before the beginning of August.

Top dressing

Fruiting mulberries in early spring, before bud break, are fed with nitroammophos. For 10 liters of water, take 50 g of fertilizer. In the summer they are fed with a complex fertilizer, for example, "Kemiroi Universal", at the rate of 20 g per square meter of planting. In the fall, for better wintering, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied; it is useful to add 200 g of ash per square meter of plantings during digging.

Diseases and pests

Mulberry can be affected by bacteriosis, powdery mildew and root rot.

The thickening of the plantings and the lack of moisture can provoke the appearance of a white powdery coating. At the first signs of fungus, they are sprayed twice with a fungicide, for example "Fundazol", with an interval of a week.
With bacteriosis, irregular spots appear on the leaves, which gradually turn black, the leaves fall off over time, the shoots are covered with long brown spots. For treatment use "Fitoflavin" or "Gamair". Avoiding unnecessary watering is the best way to avoid root rot.

To prevent fungal diseases in late autumn, all the leaves are burned.

Various parts of the tree can be affected by wireworms, spider mites, mulberry barbel, beetles. In case of weak pest infestation, especially on young or short plants, they can be removed mechanically. In case of a massive attack, insecticides are used according to instructions, for example, Decis, Confidor, Aktaru.

Beneficial features

Mulberry has valuable wood, and its leaves are food for the silkworm, with which natural silk is produced.

With diabetes and hypertension, berries are used with caution.

Harvesting

Mulberry is a thermophilic plant, so it is relatively rare in the gardens of Russian gardeners. But its berries are not only delicious, but also very healthy. Also, the culture is valued for the abundance of fruiting and the length of the productive period. The tree cannot be called capricious and demanding in care - even an inexperienced gardener can do the necessary agrotechnical procedures.

What does mulberry look like?

The mulberry tree, also known as the mulberry tree, is a small genus of deciduous trees belonging to the Mulberry family. According to various sources, there are from 10 to 16 of its representatives in nature. Most of them can be found in Central Asia and the Mediterranean coast.

In nature, the mulberry reaches a considerable height and forms a wide crown

Mature tree reaches 10-30 meters in height. A young seedling grows quickly, then the growth rate slows down. Mulberry leaves are of different sizes, can be either simple or cut in the form of "lobes", smooth or with jagged edges.

Mulberry is a long-lived tree. The average life span is 200–250 years. But even 300-500 years is not the limit for a plant. There are known specimens that are more than one thousand years old.

In countries with suitable climates, mulberry is widely used in landscape design

The mulberry fruit is formed from the expanding bracts. Its average length is 2–4 cm. It consists of many fused rounded drupes. They are not very tightly connected to each other. The skin is colored in shades from white to crimson-pink, red-violet and blue-black.

In most varieties, the fruits are tasteless, but in the edible mulberry they have a pleasant sweet taste with a slight sourness and a pronounced specific aroma.

Mulberry fruits are similar to raspberries or blackberries, but its drupes are weaker adhered to each other.

Fresh berries are not stored for long. Even in the refrigerator, they will last for a maximum of 2-3 days. Fruits do not tolerate transportation either, even for a short distance. The berries need to be processed quickly.

The crop yield is high: on average, 100-200 kg of fruits are removed from an adult tree. Mulberry reaches such indicators by 10-12 years. And the first berries can be tasted 5–6 years after the tree is planted in the ground. In addition to fresh consumption, mulberries are frozen, used as a filling for baking, compotes, jams, and preserves are boiled.

Mulberry jam is very tasty, especially if the fruits are not cloyingly sweet, but with sourness

The benefits and harms of fruits

Mulberries are extremely beneficial to health. They contain in high concentration vitamins of group B, C, PP, as well as carotenoids, malic and citric acid, unsaturated fatty acids, essential oils, iron. Mulberry is widely used in folk medicine. Her berries - effective remedy with anemia and low hemoglobin levels in the blood. Also, their use is recommended for problems with the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder and liver. Practice shows that mulberry berries have a positive effect on the work of the heart with hypertension, tachycardia, shortness of breath.

Do not abuse mulberry. If consumed excessively, it can cause a sharp jump in blood pressure (especially in the heat), it contributes to an increase in blood sugar levels. Upset stomach and intestines are also possible. The intense color of the skin and juice turns mulberries into a strong allergen. The first time you need to use it very carefully, especially if you know about the hypersensitivity of your own body. It is undesirable to eat mulberries on an empty stomach and drink something cold.

Male and female plants

Depending on the species, the mulberry can be either monoecious or dioecious. It depends on whether the gardener needs one or more trees. In the second case, "male" and "female" plants are needed for fruiting. "Female" flowers are small, greenish, collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence. "Men's" are larger, almost white, similar to pendant earrings.

"Male" specimens are widely used in landscape design, they grow faster, they have more leaves.

Before the first flowering, it is impossible to determine whether this is a "female" mulberry plant or "male", therefore it is recommended to purchase seedlings at least 3 years old

Varieties and varieties popular with gardeners

Most of the "natural" species of mulberry fruits are practically tasteless. Most often grown in gardens are those whose berries have a pronounced taste - from sour to sugary-sweet. Breeders have bred many varieties of decorative mulberry.

White mulberry

The most common in Russia, it is highly frost-resistant (-30 ° C and more). On its basis, domestic breeders have developed many new varieties and hybrids. Leaves about 15 cm long, smooth, heart-shaped. Under optimal conditions, the height of the tree reaches 18–20 m, if they are far from ideal, the white mulberry turns into a shrub.

The crown is dense, in the form of an almost regular ball. The tree is very hardy, survives and bears fruit even in cities. It blooms in the last decade of May, the harvest ripens at the end of August. The bark is grayish-whitish. It is because of her that the white mulberry got its name. Fruits can be colored not only white, but also yellowish, pink, reddish and even almost black. Of all the mulberries, white is the sweetest.

The following varieties are most popular among gardeners:

White honey. A hybrid of Russian selection. The tree is up to 10 m high. The crown is dense, shaped like a pyramid. The length of the drupe is about 3 cm. The berries are white, very juicy and sweet, with a pronounced honey aroma. The yield is consistently high - up to 200 kg per mature tree. It tolerates frost easily, quickly recovers from damage;
White tenderness. It is valued for its frost resistance down to -40 ° C and the abundance of fruiting. The berries are snow-white, elongated, 3-4 cm long. If the summer is good in terms of the weather, the fruits ripen very sweet, but in wet and rainy weather the taste practically disappears. The first berries ripen in mid-June, fruiting lasts 6–8 weeks;
Pink Smolensk. One of the novelties of breeding. Begins to bear fruit in early June. Even 2-3-year-old trees yield crops. Leaves of an unusual decorative shape. The tree itself also looks elegant due to the fact that white, pinkish, pale scarlet berries hang on it at the same time. They are small (2-3 cm long), but this does not affect the yield in any way. Frost resistance - up to -35ºС;
Fruit-1. Early variety, harvest ripens in June. Fruiting lasts 4-6 weeks. Drupes are white, but if spring and early summer are rainy, the skin takes on a pastel pink hue. The average fruit length is 2.5–3 cm. Productivity is up to 150 kg from an adult tree. The fruits are sweet, juicy, but the flesh is quite dense. Of all the mulberry varieties, this one best tolerates transportation and is stored as long as possible;
Ukrainian-107. The berries are large, 3–3.5 cm long. The skin is pale pink. The taste is sugary-sweet, the pulp is juicy, dense. The tree is frost-resistant, rarely suffers from diseases and pests. A significant drawback is low yield (15–25 kg);
Merezhevo. Another new Russian hybrid. The harvest ripens in early July, fruiting lasts about a month. Drupes are cream or pinkish, 3.5–4 cm long. The berries are very sweet. Overripe fruits quickly crumble;
Black Baroness. The crop ripens in the second decade of July. It is appreciated for its unpretentiousness and frost resistance. The berries are large, 4 cm long or more, the skin is blue-black. The taste is sweet, dessert. The aroma is light, almost imperceptible. Fruits are stored for no more than 12 hours;
The dark woman. Self-fertile hybrid, does not need pollinating varieties. The tree is tall, 15 m or more. The crown is wide, spreading. The berries are 3-4 cm long, taste sweet and sour. The skin is almost black. Productivity at the level of 150-200 kg, annual fruiting. The shelf life of fresh berries is 12-18 hours;
Ukrainian-6. It is mainly used for feeding the silkworm or in landscape design, although the taste of the berries is sweet, dessert, the fruits are large (4–4.5 cm). The skin is colored black and purple. Frost resistance - up to -35ºС.

Photo gallery: varieties of white mulberry

White honey mulberry is a fairly large plant, it will need a lot of space on the site.Mulberry White tenderness ripe fruits are painted in a rare snow-white color, not found in nature Pink Smolenskaya mulberry is one of the latest achievements of Russian breeders Mulberry Fruit-1 ripens in June Ukrainian mulberry -107 gives very tasty berries, but there are not many of them on the tree Mulberry Merezhevo is practically not stored Mulberry Black Baroness is undemanding in care and frost resistance
Mulberry Smuglyanka is a self-fertile hybrid, she does not need a "male" pollinator Mulberry Ukrainian-6 is mainly used as feed for silkworm

Black mulberry

In nature, it is found mainly in Afghanistan, Iran, less common in Italy. The average height of the tree is about 15 m, the crown is wide, spreading, the shoots are slightly numb. The bark is rough, dark brown. The leaves are large, up to 20 cm long. The inside is covered with thick soft pile. The average length of the fruit is 3-5 cm, the skin is inky purple or almost black.

The plant is undemanding to the quality of the soil, is drought-resistant, tolerates prolonged heat well. But the black mulberry is experiencing frost with difficulty. Therefore, in Russia, it can only be grown in the south, in a warm subtropical climate (Crimea, Caucasus, Black Sea region). From the countries of the former USSR, culture took root in Ukraine, in Moldova. But even in such conditions, it is recommended to make sure and build a winter shelter for the plant.

Most often, the following varieties of black mulberry are found in gardens:

Fruit-4. The tree is not tall, 3-5 m, the crown is compact, spherical. Drupes are elongated, 4–4.5 cm long. The pulp is juicy, the taste is pleasant and refreshing. The yield is very high - 250 kg per tree or more, annual fruiting. Frost resistance at the level of -25 ° C. This variety is most popular among those who grow mulberries on an industrial scale. Thanks to the dense pulp, the berries tolerate transportation well;
Istanbul. One of the largest-fruited varieties, the length of the drupe is 5–5.5 cm. The skin is dark purple in color, the flesh is juicy and sweet. Frost resistance - about -25 ° C. Productivity is consistently high, annual fruiting. The variety is late, the harvest ripens in the first decade of August. The fruits are removed 4 years after planting the seedling in the ground;
Shelley-150. One of the most popular varieties not only in Russia, but also in the world. Belongs to the category of early. The fruits are harvested in the last decade of June. The average length of the drupe is 5–6 cm. The skin is black, glossy shining. The taste is sweet but not sugary;
Galicia-1. The hybrid is widespread mainly in Ukraine. Drupes are very large, 6.5–8 cm long. The skin is violet-red, the taste is sweet, with a slight refreshing acidity. The yield is not too high - 35-50 kg;
Black Prince. The variety is valued for its unpretentious care and resistance to adverse factors. environment(heat, drought, frost). The average length of the drupe is 4–5 cm. The skin is black, the flesh is sweet, with a slight honey flavor. It tolerates transportation well, it is stored for 2-3 days;
Hartut. The variety is widely used in home winemaking. These berries have a very thick juice with a high (18–20%) sugar content. Even without processing to taste, it strongly resembles fortified dessert wine. The variety is self-fertile, bears fruit regularly and abundantly. The first fruits bears 3 years after planting;
Hope. The average height of the tree is 8–10 m. The berries are very dark purple in color, appear black from a distance. Drupes are large, about 5 cm long, the flesh is sweet and sour. Ripe fruits stick well to the tree. The crop is harvested in early July. A mature tree bears more than 100 kg of fruit annually.

Photo gallery: varieties of black mulberry

Berries of Istanbul mulberry - presentable and tasty Mulberry Shelley-150 - one of the most popular varieties in the world Mulberry Galicia-1 stands out for the size of the fruit
Mulberry Black Prince - one of the new varieties, devoid of significant flaws

The homeland of this species is North America. The average height of the tree is 10–12 m; the crown is shaped like a tent. Leaves about 10 cm long, rough to the touch.

Young leaves are cut out in the form of "lobes", then the shape is gradually smoothed out.

The fruits are sweet and sour, dark scarlet. The taste of red mulberry is extremely similar to blackberry. The plant is undemanding and hardy, is dioecious. It is appreciated for its high frost resistance.

Red mulberry is practically not found in Russia and the countries of the former USSR

Decorative mulberry

It is widely used in landscape design. It looks best in single plantings, often hedges are formed from it. The tree tolerates pruning well, the crown can be given almost any desired shape.

Popular varieties:

Weeping. The average height of the tree is 3-4 m. The branches are thin, drooping. The leaves are small;
Large-leaved. The leaves are heart-shaped, lettuce-colored, on long stalks. The average length is 22–25 cm. The variety is thermophilic, rather rare;
Spherical. The crown, even without formative pruning, turns into an almost regular ball. The height of the tree is 2-3 m;
Pyramidal. The crown resembles a tall and narrow pyramid. Leaves are small;
Tatarskaya. Rather not a tree, but a shrub or semi-shrub. The growth rate does not differ, it reaches a height of 2–2.5 m. The leaves are small. Winter hardiness is very high;
Golden. Young shoots are indeed golden colored; as they mature, it changes to brownish. The average height of the tree is 2–3 m. The leaves that have just opened are also characterized by a pale golden hue;
Red felt. Natural "mutation" of red mulberry. The front side of the young leaf is red, the back is whitish. The fruits are edible, purple-scarlet in color, but they are few;
Narrow-leaved. Most often grown as a bush. The leaves are small, rough to the touch, strongly elongated and deeply dissected.

Photo gallery: decorative varieties and hybrids of mulberry

Weeping mulberry looks spectacular, but you can not expect a large harvest from such a tree. Large-leaved mulberry is thermophilic, therefore, in Russia, spherical mulberry forms a neat crown practically without the participation of a gardener. Pyramidal mulberry has small, often located leaves. Tatar mulberry is decorative, but frost-resistant variety Golden mulberry looks very impressive The fruits of the red felt mulberry are edible The narrow-leaved mulberry is distinguished by the unusual shape of the leaves

Planting procedure and preparation for it

Mulberry is deservedly considered an unpretentious plant that successfully adapts to not the most better conditions... But getting the maximum possible yields can be ensured only if you "listen" to the requirements of the tree and, if possible, satisfy them.

Seat selection

Like most other plants, mulberries love warmth and sunlight. An open, well-heated area is ideal for her. At some distance from the plant, it is desirable to have a barrier that does not shade it, but protects it from gusts of cold north and north-west winds.

The best soil option is light fertile sandy loam or loam. And by planting a mulberry in a sandy substrate, you can kill two birds with one stone, strengthening the soil due to the developed root system of the tree. The plant has a negative attitude to heavy soil, but this problem can be dealt with by building an embankment about 0.5 m high or creating a drainage layer 10-15 cm thick at the bottom of the planting pit. yield in this case should not be counted. It is also undesirable for the groundwater to be located closer than 1–1.5 m from the soil surface. This can provoke the development of root rot.

When choosing a place for a mulberry, it is worth considering that this is a long-lived tree, moreover, it is quite dimensional. If a single planting is planned, it must be placed at a distance of at least 5 m from other plants. When forming a hedge, seedlings are placed 1 m from each other.

Mulberry is a large plant, this must be taken into account when choosing a place for it in the garden

Landing dates

In most of the territory of Russia (regions with a temperate climate), mulberries are best planted in a permanent place in the spring, when the tree has not yet woken up from hibernation ( leaf buds were not revealed). Over the summer, the seedling will form a developed root system and adapt to new living conditions. This will allow him to survive the winter with minimal damage to himself.

Autumn planting (early September to mid-October) is suitable for tropical and subtropical climates. Winters in the Crimea, Caucasus, Kuban, Krasnodar Territory, Ukraine are mild and almost always come in accordance with the calendar. When planning planting, it is worth considering that the tree needs at least 6 weeks to adapt. Practice shows that a seedling that has successfully endured the first winter will live a long time and bear fruit abundantly.

Pit preparation

A planting pit about 70 cm deep and about the same diameter is filled by a third with a mixture of fertile turf with humus or rotted compost. You can also add sifted wood ash (0.7-1 l), 20-30 g of potash and phosphorus fertilizers, or about 50 g of a complex agent (Nitrofoska, Azofoska). Sprinkle this mixture with a thin layer of ordinary earth so that the roots do not suffer. The pit is prepared about 2 weeks before planting, if the procedure is planned for the fall, and if in the spring, then at the end of the previous season. At the bottom, a drainage layer is desirable (expanded clay, clay shards, brick chips).

At the bottom of the mulberry planting pit, it is advisable to create a drainage layer so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots.

Landing

The disembarkation procedure itself has no peculiarities. The only caveat is that you don't need to shorten the roots before planting. If necessary, a support is placed in the pit in advance. The roots of the seedling must be carefully straightened without damaging, they are quite fragile. The most important thing in the process is not to deepen the root collar. The soil is carefully trampled down, the tree is watered, spending 10-15 liters of water. When it is absorbed, the trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus, freshly cut grass.

There is nothing complicated in planting mulberries, even a novice gardener can handle the procedure

Video: how to properly transplant mulberries

The nuances of culture care

Care comes down to maintaining the near-trunk circle in proper condition, periodic watering and feeding several times per season. The hardest part for the inexperienced gardener is the tree pruning procedure.

Watering

This culture does not need frequent and abundant watering. It is recommended to water the tree only if the weather is very hot and there is no rain. An adult mulberry needs 15–20 liters of water every 7–10 days.

Experienced gardeners advise against watering the tree in the second half of summer, thus preparing it for the coming winter dormant period and sudden temperature changes. This is especially true for mulberries growing in the Moscow region and other regions with a temperate climate.

Only young mulberries are watered, and for an adult tree, if there is no abnormally strong heat outside, natural precipitation is quite enough

Particular attention should be paid to watering young trees under 5 years of age. Then the mulberry forms a developed root system and can provide itself with moisture on its own, pulling it out from the depths of the soil.

With a moisture deficit on young plants, the fruits become smaller, and annual shoots can freeze out in winter, not having time to ripen.

Fertilization

If landing pit was prepared in compliance with all recommendations, the available nutrients for mulberry will last for 2-3 years. But even after that, you should not get carried away with fertilizers, especially nitrogen-containing ones. Their excess negatively affects the immunity of the plant. Two dressings per season are quite enough.

Immediately before the leaf buds bloom, 45-50 g of any complex fertilizer (Nitrofosk, Diammofosk, Azofosk) is introduced into the trunk circle. It is scattered over the surface of the soil in a dry form, or a solution is prepared by diluting the specified amount in 10 liters of water. Once every 2-3 years, you can additionally distribute 15-25 liters of humus or rotted compost in the trunk circle.
2-3 weeks before the fruits ripen, mulberries are watered with diluted water infusion of fresh manure, bird droppings or nettle leaves, dandelion (a ratio of 1:15 for droppings and 1: 8 for everything else).
If the condition of the tree is not too good, it grows slowly; at the beginning of September, the soil in the near-trunk circle is sprinkled with sifted wood ash(0.5 l).

Nettle infusion - a natural fertilizer for mulberries

Pruning

Since the mulberry in nature reaches significant dimensions, pruning for it is a mandatory procedure. Her plant easily transfers, quickly recovering, even if the gardener "overdone" a little.

Pruning has a positive effect on the yield of the plant, the size of the fruit increases markedly.

In regions with a temperate climate (Moscow region, Volga region, North-West), it is better to form mulberries not as a tree, but as a shrub or semi-shrub no more than 3 m high.To do this, most of the shoots are cut off from a plant that has reached a height of 1.5 m, leaving 8 –10 most powerful and advanced. This will be the main "skeleton" of the structure. Then every year 2-3 of the oldest branches are cut to the point of growth, replacing with younger ones. Each of the skeletal shoots should have 3-4 branches of the second order and 10-15 branches of the third order.

It will take 3-4 years for the configuration to take its final form.

For pruning mulberries, only sharpened and disinfected tools are used.

Where the climate for mulberry is close to optimal (Ukraine, Moldova, southern Russia), a tree that has reached a height of 1 m is shortened by cutting off the central shoot 25-30 cm above the last lateral one. Lateral shoots (with the exception of the three or four most powerful ones) are cut to the point of growth. The remaining ones are shortened to 4–5 growth buds. Then, over the next 2-3 years, several more tiers are formed in the same way. Each of them should have 4–5 branches of the second and 12–15 branches of the third order. It is recommended to limit the total height of the tree to 4–5 m.

It is also easy to form a spherical crown. To do this, the lower and upper shoots are shortened more than the middle tier - by about a quarter and a third, respectively.

Once the tree begins to bear fruit, the focus should be on sanitary pruning. It is carried out twice a year - in the spring before the "awakening" of the growth buds and in the fall, after the end of the leaf fall. The air temperature in both cases must be above 0 ° C. It is imperative to get rid of broken, dried out, frozen shoots, affected by diseases and pests. Also, deformed, weak and poorly located branches are cut to the point of growth: thickening the crown, growing down, sharply knocking out of the given configuration.

Mulberry needs rejuvenating pruning every 10-15 years. All shoots are shortened by about a third, 2–3 skeletal branches are completely removed, replacing them with younger ones.

The fact that it is time to carry out the procedure is evidenced by a decrease in yield, shrinking fruits, curvature of shoots.

Harvesting

The fruiting period of mulberries is extended, often the berries ripen within 1.5–2 months. Due to such uneven ripening, both completely green and bluish-black fruits can be observed on one branch.

The berries of the mulberry are small, there are a lot of them on the tree. Since they still do not differ in keeping quality, some gardeners save time on harvesting by spreading a film, a piece of cloth, newspapers under the mulberry. The tree should then be shaken vigorously several times.

Mulberry has a very high yield, but at the same time its berries are practically not stored.

Preparing for winter

Most of the mulberry varieties popular among gardeners can tolerate frosts down to -30 ° C without much damage to themselves. But only if the winter is snowy. Otherwise, the roots of the tree may suffer, even if the temperature drops to only -7-10 ° C. Therefore, it is advisable to build a shelter for the winter not only in regions with a temperate climate, but also in the subtropics.

The trunk circle is cleaned of plant debris and shallowly loosened.
The layer of peat or humus mulch is renewed, bringing its thickness to 12–15 cm. A hill 25–30 cm high is poured near the trunk.
As soon as enough snow falls, it is scooped up to the trunk, building a snowdrift.
Young trees can be closed entirely by wrapping them in burlap or other air-permeable covering material.
In those varieties of mulberry, which are characterized by the presence of thin, drooping shoots, the branches are bent to the ground, throwing straw and spruce branches.

Mulch will help protect mulberry roots from freezing if there is not enough snow.

Do not be surprised if the mulberry growing in the Moscow region and other regions with a temperate climate sheds not only leaves, but also shoots in the fall. Due to the fact that daylight hours in these areas are shorter than required by the culture, it has two growing seasons. In autumn, the mulberry independently forms a layer of cork-like tissue between the matured and immature part of the shoot, thus getting rid of wood that will definitely not tolerate cold weather.

Reproduction methods

Mulberry propagates quite easily both in a vegetative and generative way. The latter is used less often, since it is more laborious, takes more time and does not guarantee the preservation of the varietal characteristics of the “parent”.

Germinating seeds

The seeds are extracted from ripe berries, the color of which has acquired the color typical of the variety. They are thoroughly cleaned of pulp, dried and stored until spring in a dark, cool place, poured into linen or paper bags. Optimal time for sowing seeds - the end of April or the first decade of May.

Mulberry seeds must be thoroughly peeled and dried to avoid the development of rot during storage.

Sow them directly into the garden bed, deepening a maximum of 1–1.5 cm. In order to increase germination, you can soak them for several hours in Heteroauxin, Zircon, Kornevin.
Before the emergence of shoots, the garden bed is watered with a solution of any biostimulant (potassium humate, succinic acid, aloe juice, Epin) every 2-3 days. After - they switch to daily moderate watering with heated water.
A canopy of white covering material is erected over the seedlings to protect them from direct sunlight.
When 4–5 true leaves are formed, the plantings are thinned out, leaving at least 10–12 cm between them.
After 2 years, the grown seedlings can be transplanted to the chosen place. The harvest from such a mulberry will have to wait at least 7-8 years.

Video: mulberry from seeds

Cuttings

This is the easiest way to reproduce, the success rate is 80–90%, even if you do not use special rooting stimulants. Mulberry stalk - the upper or middle part of a green shoot about 20 cm long, cut obliquely. Cuttings are harvested throughout the growing season. If the climate permits, they are planted in the ground in the fall. Otherwise, cuttings are dropped into a box with wet sand or peat until spring and kept at a temperature of 3-5 ° C.

The cuttings must have at least 2-3 growth buds. Semi-lignified branches can also be used, but the rooting process in this case takes a long time.

Cutting is the simplest and quick way get a new mulberry

The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or in a garden bed, positioned at an angle of about 45º, deepening by 3-4 cm. The lower leaves are removed completely, the remaining ones are cut in half. Cuttings planted in open ground are covered with glass caps, cut off with plastic bottles. Necessarily need to support very high humidity but be careful not to rot.

If technical feasibility permits, it is desirable to create a "suspension" of small water droplets in the greenhouse, resembling fog.

Graft

This method is used to propagate the most valuable and decorative mulberry varieties. White mulberry is most often used as a stock. This is due to its unpretentious care and frost resistance.

The easiest way to vaccinate is to copulate. The top of the rootstock tree and the base of the scion seedling are cut at an angle, the cuts are aligned and tightly wrapped around the structure with electrical tape, adhesive tape or special grafting tape. If the procedure is successful (new leaves begin to form on the scion), the harness can be removed. A prerequisite is that the scion and rootstock should be approximately the same thickness.

When copulating, the scion and rootstock should approximately coincide in diameter

Budding requires a certain amount of experience from the gardener. As a scion, not a whole branch is used here, but one growth bud, cut off together with the "shield" from the surrounding tissues with a thickness of no more than 2-3 mm. This “flap” is inserted into an X- or T-shaped incision in the rootstock bark. The whole structure is securely fixed. If the growth bud hatches after 2-3 months, the stock is cut 10-15 cm above the grafting site, removing all lateral shoots.

When budding, try to touch the growth bud as little as possible.

Diseases, pests and control of them

Mulberry is distinguished by good immunity; this culture rarely suffers from diseases and pests. But she is not insured, so you need to be able to recognize suspicious symptoms and know what to do in each case.

Diseases typical for culture:

powdery mildew. Leaves, shoots, fruits are covered with a grayish-white "fleecy" bloom. Gradually, it darkens and thickens, the affected tissues die off. The thickening of the crown and intense heat contribute to the spread of the disease. For prevention, mulberries and soil in the trunk circle are powdered with crushed chalk and sifted wood ash. Fundazol or Fitoverm-M will help to cope with the problem. It is advisable to shed the trunk circle with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate;
cylindrosporiasis. The leaves are covered with multiple, well-defined dark scarlet or crimson spots. Then the affected areas turn yellow, the leaves dry and fall off. If characteristic symptoms are found, the tree and soil in the near-stem circle are sprayed with 1% Silit solution. After 12-15 days, the treatment is repeated;
bacteriosis. The first symptom is dark, blurry, irregularly shaped spots on leaves and shoots. Gradually they turn into depressed "ulcers". Damaged leaves roll up into a tube and fall off, gum is released on the shoots. It is possible to cope with the disease only in the early stages of its development, by cutting off all minimally affected parts of the plant and treating it with Fitolavin, Gamair;
curliness of leaves. The surface of the leaf wrinkles, "nodules" appear on it. The sheet plate becomes smaller and deformed. Modern means it is impossible to cure this viral disease. Particular attention should be paid to prevention, primarily the fight against carriers of the pathogen (aphids, thrips, spider mites);
tinder fungus. The spores of the fungus penetrate the tissues through mechanical damage in the cortex. Growths appear on the shoots that destroy wood. They need to be cut off with a sharp sterile knife, rinse the wound with 5% copper sulfate and cover with garden pitch or a mixture of fluff lime, cow dung and powdered clay. You can also coat the cut with several coats of oil paint.

Photo gallery: symptoms of common mulberry diseases

The most common pests:

Ifantria American (white American butterfly). The larvae of this butterfly are able to completely devour the leaves in a matter of days, leaving only veins. For prevention, unblown leaf buds and soil in the near-stem circle are sprayed with Nitrafen or Karbofos. To scare off adults from the plant, use Chlorophos, Phosphamide, Antio, Saifos. One treatment every 3-4 weeks is enough;
mealybug. A whitish bloom appears on the leaves, shoots, buds, fruits, resembling scattered flour. The affected parts of the plant turn yellow, dry and fall off. For prevention, mulberries are sprayed with an infusion of onions, garlic, any pungent-smelling herbs about once a week. To cope with the pest, they use Mospilan, Tanrek, Confidor-Maxi. Usually 2-3 treatments are enough with an interval of 8-12 days;
spider mite. Young leaves, tops of shoots, buds are intertwined with thin threads, similar to cobwebs. The affected parts of the plant are discolored, deformed and dry. For prevention, mulberries are weekly sprayed with infusion of onion or garlic gruel, decoction of cyclamen tubers. They fight the pest using acaricides (Actellic, Apollo, Neoron, Omite). It will take 3-4 treatments with an interval of 5-12 days. The hotter it is outside, the more often the plant is sprayed.

Photo gallery: what pests dangerous for the culture look like

The main harm to the mulberry is caused by the caterpillars of the American ifantria.To fight mealybugs, they mainly use general-action insecticides
To combat spider mites, special preparations are used - acaricides

Until recently, the cultivation of mulberries in temperate climates was not possible. But breeders have corrected this situation by developing several frost-resistant varieties. Now nothing prevents the spread of this tasty and healthy berry in Russia. The rapid growth of its popularity is facilitated by a consistently high yield, unpretentious care, decorativeness of the tree.

Seed reproduction

Propagation by green cuttings

Propagation by semi-lignified cuttings

Propagation by lignified cuttings

Reproduction by upper grafting (copulation)

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How to start planting mulberries?

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Choosing a place for planting a mulberry tree

Planting rules and technology in spring and autumn

Caring for a newly planted seedling

Follow-up care of the seedling, how to cut and shape the crown

Proper care of mulberry: video

How to plant and grow mulberries: photo

Features of mulberry

Planting mulberries in open ground

What time to plant

Planting mulberries in autumn

Spring planting

Growing mulberries in the garden

Mulberry processing

Mulberry watering

Mulberry feeding

Mulberry in the suburbs and in Moscow

Mulberry in Siberia

Mulberry pruning

How to prune mulberries

Mulberry pruning in spring

Pruning mulberries in autumn

Mulberry propagation

How to grow from seeds

Mulberry propagation by offspring

Mulberry propagation by cuttings

Mulberry grafting

Mulberry diseases with photos and descriptions

Powdery mildew

Cylindrosporiasis

Bacteriosis

Small-leaved curl

Tinder

Mulberry pests with photos and descriptions

White american butterfly

Mulberry moth

Spider mites

Worm Comstock

Types and varieties of mulberry with a description

Red mulberry (Morus rubra)

Black mulberry (Morus nigra)

White mulberry (Morus alba)

Mulberry properties: benefits and harms

Useful properties of mulberry

Potential harm

Appearance and varieties

Reproduction

How to plant?

Cultivation secrets

Crown formation

Top dressing

Diseases and pests

Beneficial features

Harvesting

Appearance and varieties

Reproduction

How to plant?

Cultivation secrets

Crown formation

Top dressing

Diseases and pests

Beneficial features

Harvesting

What does mulberry look like?

The benefits and harms of fruits

Male and female plants

Varieties and varieties popular with gardeners

White mulberry

Photo gallery: varieties of white mulberry

Black mulberry

Photo gallery: varieties of black mulberry