Planting mulberries in spring. Autumn planting mulberry

Grow in the garden. These are apple trees, pears, cherries, plums and cherries. However, the mulberry tree is quite rare in it. But in the recent past, it was very popular and affordable. The older generation of gardeners has a lot to say about a useful plant that has now become exotic.

Varieties

An amazing long-liver comes from China. It has long been grown as a fodder crop. The leaves of the tree served as food for the silkworm - the producer of raw materials for the manufacture of a unique fabric. Gardeners grow the mulberry tree, which belongs to the genus Morus, not for silk production, but as an ornamental and fruit crop. The genus consists of twenty-four species. Of these, white and black mulberries are fruitful, hallmark which is the color of the bark of an adult plant. Many gardeners mistakenly believed that mulberry trees are distinguished by the color of the berries. However, this is not at all the case.

White mulberry has a light bark color. But the berries can be white, cream, pink, purple or completely black. The numerous genus Morus is represented by dioecious and rarely monoecious trees. Most of them are heat-loving plants that can be grown in the southern regions. Only white mulberry middle lane does not freeze, grows well and bears fruit.

Description

Not every fruit plant boasts of its durability. Within two hundred or even three hundred years, a mulberry tree will give birth, without changing its qualities over time. A spreading tree reaches a height of twenty to thirty-five meters. Often it is formed in the form of a two- or three-meter bush. The bark is light. The spherical crown is densely covered with oval foliage.

The spike-shaped inflorescences of the mulberry tree are small. They are light green in color. Dioecious or rarely wind-pollinated. The fruits of the drupe are formed in the form of small infructescences. They have a pleasant sweet taste. Depending on the variety, the berries can be painted in different colors. White mulberry ripens from May to July. It bears fruit in the fifth year after planting. The yield is high. The berry picking period is somewhat extended due to unfriendly ripening. They are non-transportable and poorly stored, consumed immediately after removal.

This mulberry tree is winter-hardy and drought-resistant. These qualities characterize the plant as quite hardy and unpretentious. It is suitable for areas with any type of soil. In addition to these advantages, the mulberry tree is a medicinal plant. The fruits are high in vitamins. In addition, they contain flavonoid, morin, carotene, fatty acid, iron salts. medicinal properties possess not only berries. The bark and leaves of the tree are also used for medicinal purposes.

Mulberry varieties

White mulberry can act as a fodder, fruit and ornamental crop. They are represented by various varieties with different individual properties.

So, among the fruitful varieties, white honey mulberry is quite attractive. It is characterized by relative frost resistance and unpretentiousness, resistance to diseases. A tall deciduous tree with a wide crown. Simple oval leaves are painted in light green color. Inflorescences spike-shaped. Juicy fruits are white.

Taste qualities good ones. Long harvesting begins at the end of June. Uneven fruit ripening lasts until early August. Fresh berries are stored for no more than six hours. They practically do not tolerate transportation.

Mulberry white varieties Baroness is a deciduous tree. Dense, well-leafed crown has a spherical shape. Flowers are dioecious. They have a light color and form a spike-shaped inflorescence. large berries, which are 3.5 cm in size and 1.5 cm in diameter, are densely colored black. Fragrant complex drupe has a sweet pleasant taste. Unlike the previous variety, the fruits are relatively transportable. The shelf life is twelve hours. The variety is high yielding.

The berry picking period is June-July. This mulberry tree is an unpretentious plant with high frost-resistant performance. Mulberry winters well.

Mulberry Smuglyanka is a tall sprawling tree that has a pyramidal crown. large fruits reach three centimeters. Black berries are very juicy. Taste qualities are excellent. Slightly sour taste does not spoil the berries. This variety is less winter-hardy than Baroness. In winter, the branches may freeze slightly. An unpretentious plant has a high yield. Fruit ripening occurs at the beginning of July.

Except fruit species, there are more than four hundred decorative forms. Mulberry varieties differ in the shape and color of the crown and foliage. This is showy plants, which are used in landscape design. Beautiful tree and shrub compositions, alleys and which include mulberry trees. Their openwork crown goes well with evergreens.

Weeping white mulberry

A low-growing tree or shrub reaches a height and width of up to three meters. It has a very decorative look. The elongated branches of the mulberry tree hang down. This form is indispensable in landscape design and will decorate any garden.

Dark green large leaves, the length of which can be from eight to twenty centimeters, are heart-shaped. AT autumn period they turn yellow. The flowering period is May-June. Mulberry bears few fruits. They are edible and have a pleasant sweet taste.

In addition, there are spherical, dissected-leaved, Tatar and golden forms of white mulberry. Each of them has its own advantages and is widely used for single or group plantings.

Landing

Often summer residents do not dare to plant mulberry trees, because on small area space is limited. "Is my garden suitable for trendy exotics?" - such a question arises among gardeners when choosing one or another variety of a long-lived giant.

Growing mulberry provides several ways to form a plant that will limit the height. A tall powerful spreading tree requires larger area nutrition. Mulberry is planted according to the scheme 5 x 6 m. When the height of the mulberry tree is limited and grown in the form of a bush, the scheme is different and is 2 x 3 m. White mulberry is unpretentious. It grows equally well in unfavorable urban conditions, and in suburban summer cottages. Well-lit should be a corner of the garden in which mulberries will grow. Planting and caring for mulberry trees comply with generally accepted rules for fruit trees. Planted seedlings in early spring. seat should be such as not to damage For better rooting, a mixture of humus and sand is added to the hole. Water thoroughly and cover the planting hole with soil. Around the stem of the seedling, the soil is mulched with peat. In autumn, planting is carried out one and a half months before the onset of frost.

Agricultural technology

Care consists in removing weeds, loosening the soil and regular watering. It is especially important to monitor newly planted plants. Not allowed in the presence of weeds that are detrimental to plants. Regular weeding and mulching with humus or peat will contribute to their normal and rapid growth. During summer season apply organic and mineral fertilizers. This agricultural technique is very important for the normal development of mulberries and obtaining good yields. Fertilization is carried out during bud break. One square meter requires fifty grams of nitrophoska. After fertilization, the soil is heavily watered. In early July, stop watering. During this period, feeding should also not be carried out. Enhanced nutrition will promote the growth of young shoots, which will freeze in winter.

pruning

So that the tree does not grow tall and looks well-groomed, its crown is formed, limiting growth to three meters. In addition, last year's young growths in winter may freeze slightly. They need to be removed. Mulberry pruning has no individual characteristics. Sanitary and anti-aging techniques are carried out, which are performed following generally accepted recommendations for the Mulberry tree tolerates a haircut. This reception should be regular. Crown thinning is carried out annually. In this case, diseased, damaged and weak branches are subject to removal. Also cut crossed shoots.

Obtaining seed material

White mulberry ripens in summer period. Ripe fruits are suitable for seeds. After harvesting, some of the berries are left in the sun. They are slightly overripe. Then for a few days they are placed in a container.

Juicy fruits should turn sour. Then they are ground in water. Full-weight seeds sink to the bottom of the container. This mass is rubbed through a fine sieve. The resulting seeds are dried. They must be used throughout the year. They quickly lose their viability.

seed propagation

There are several ways to obtain young plants. Possible seed reproduction. This method begins with stratification. Seeds are kept at a temperature of zero or five degrees for a month. Pre-prepare the greenhouse. In early April, mulberry will be sown in it. Reproduction in this way allows you to have forty-centimeter seedlings already in the autumn.

Vaccinations on frost-resistant rootstock

In order to preserve the maternal characteristics of a particular variety, grafting will be more effective. This method more difficult. It requires careful selection of material for reproduction. Quite often, winter mulberry grafting is used. Young plants are used as rootstock. frost-resistant varieties mulberries grown from seeds. They are dug up and stored in wet sawdust. Storage temperature should be zero degrees. Scions are also stored in wet sawdust. After vaccination, the planting material is placed in boxes and kept at a temperature of twenty-five degrees. After that, they are stored in wet sawdust at zero temperature until spring.

Mulberry grafting in spring period performed on last year's rootstocks. This event falls on the period before bud break. Used cuttings cut in autumn. They are stored all winter in wet sawdust at zero temperature.

Can be grafted in the summer. To do this, use the blanks of the current year.

Reproduction by green cuttings

Planting material is harvested in the second decade of June. Green shoots are suitable, the length of which is at least fifteen centimeters. They are cut from non-lignified branches. The blanks are processed by removing the lower leaves and shortening the upper ones by half. Before rooting, the cuttings are kept for six hours in aqueous solution heteroauxin.

Or they are placed in a mixture of sand and peat, which is moistened with this solution. Green cuttings are rooted in closed ground. The main condition is high humidity air. To create a greenhouse effect, cover with plastic wrap.

Diseases and pests

Like any culture, white mulberry is susceptible to infection. It can be affected by diseases such as bacteriosis, powdery mildew and root rot.

In the spring, preventive spraying of the tree with special preparations is carried out.

There are also many pests in the mulberry tree. Khrushchi, Medvedka, mulberry barbel, wireworm and spider mite damage various parts of the plant. To combat them, mechanical and chemical methods. In the autumn period, fallen leaves must be removed and burned.

Features of harvesting

White mulberry is characterized by an extended period of fruiting. Berries ripen unevenly. On the one hand, this is good. For a longer period, the mulberry tree will delight with ripe juicy fruits. However, ripe fruits should be removed in a timely manner. Almost all varieties of white mulberry are poorly stored. They are non-transportable. If the harvest is delayed, the berries fall off, which leads to their spoilage. After removal, the fruits are immediately processed or consumed fresh.

Useful properties of white mulberry

The medicinal properties of mulberry have been known for a long time. The use of fresh berries helps to improve the general condition of a person. White mulberry contributes to the normalization of work nervous system. It is included in diets for weight loss. Low-calorie berry perfectly normalizes metabolism. In addition, the plant cleanses the intestines and promotes the removal of toxins. Mulberries are most often consumed fresh. It is also subjected to culinary processing. It is suitable for preparations for the future. You can make juices, syrups, jams and marmalades. Wines and liqueurs have an exquisite taste. It is also dried. In this form, it is used instead of sugar. White mulberry is indispensable in cosmetology. It is included in various masks for hair, face and body.

However, with all the advantages, one should not forget about the individual characteristics of the organism. Like any medicine, the use of mulberry has contraindications. Overuse can be harmful. Berries are not recommended for diabetics. For them, dried mulberry leaves will be more useful.

Branch with fruits of varying degrees of maturity

Not many people know that the cultivation of mulberry and caring for it in the middle lane and the Moscow region are becoming common and familiar. Every year more and more fans of this beautiful and useful plant planted mulberry (also called mulberry) as a supplier delicious berries, in decorative purposes, to create shady corners and hedges.

Gardeners are attracted, first of all, by the opportunity to get a crop of fragrant and healing berries. Those who have tried them at least once will definitely want to have such a beautiful plant in their area. It is especially pleasant that the mulberry tree bears fruit regularly and yields abundant crops.

Very beautiful. The branches covered with shiny berries are delightful, its carved leaves and spreading crown are decorative.

Unpretentiousness and plasticity are another advantage. Some enthusiasts grow mulberries in Siberia as well. Growing and caring for it have the same recommendations as for the middle lane, but it is advisable to limit it to bush forms and cover it carefully for the winter. root system which is most susceptible to frost.

Botanical description

At home (in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, China), the mulberry tree reaches large sizes - up to 15-20 meters in height. Growing mulberry in the conditions of central Russia, you can get a plant no higher than 5 meters. Quite often it is cultivated as a shrub.

More than a dozen species of this plant have been described. In our conditions, two varieties are usually used: and white. For the Moscow region and the Middle Strip, planting white mulberry would be preferable, since this variety tolerates cold better, has larger and sweeter fruits.

Interesting facts. These two species differ not in the color of the berries, as you might initially assume, but in the color of the bark. Any of the varieties can have light and dark berries. It also has softer leaves, which are a favorite delicacy of the silkworm, which actually gave the name to this plant.

It is preferable to have 2-3 plants on the site, so as not to wonder why the mulberry does not bear fruit. The fact is that the mulberry tree is a dioecious plant and the absence of a pollinator plant may be the reason why the fruits do not set. Although this plant sometimes berries can form without fertilization.

Features of mulberry cultivation

For planting seedlings, you should choose a bright place, protected from the north wind. Mulberry is unpretentious to soil conditions, grows well even on poor soils. But the closely spaced ground water she does not like it, it is advisable to avoid such places. After planting, the mulberry begins to bear fruit in the 7th year if the plant is grown from seeds. A seedling obtained by grafting will give the first fruits of the year in 3 or 4.

Landing

How to plant a mulberry so that it takes root better and feels good in the future? This must be done in the spring landing pit should be ready in autumn. Bush forms are placed at a distance of 2-3 meters. Trees are planted no closer than 5 meters from each other. This is essential advice for planting standard mulberry: plants planted in close quarters develop poorly, their branches become bare, the yield decreases and decorative effect decreases.

The roots should be carefully spread on a mound made in the center of the pit, sprinkled with earth mixed with humus and a small amount complex fertilizer ( Matchbox per seedling). The soil is carefully but thoroughly compacted and watered abundantly. After watering, you can add a little earth and be sure to mulch the surface.

Attention! Mulberry roots are quite fragile!

crown formation

This procedure is especially important in the first years of development of a young plant. Mulberry pruning is aimed at ensuring that the plant takes on the look desired by the owner. By greatly shortening the shoots, you can give the mulberry bush the shape of a bush. In order for the plant to develop in the form of a tree, it leaves the main trunk and several skeletal branches on it, evenly spaced.

After 5-6 years of growth, the mulberry itself regulates the development of its crown, the branches that thicken the crown die off on their own. The gardener can only cut them off in a timely manner.

Sanitary pruning of trees is carried out once every 3-4 years. The preferred time for her is late autumn. As a last resort, transfer this procedure to early spring. When pruning in late spring or summer, young shoots may not mature and subsequently freeze.

plant care

An amazing feature of our guest from the southern regions is her unpretentiousness. Sometimes it is called a plant for the lazy. Careful care for mulberry is needed only in the first years of its development. Water is essential need for young plants until the root system is fully developed. A stronger plant requires minimal attention and practically does not need watering, reaching deep soil horizons with its roots.

The first three years, the mulberry is not fed, since the fertilizers applied during planting will be enough for the developing mulberry tree. And how to fertilize mulberry in the future? A mature plant needs top dressing only if the soil on the site is too poor. Usually they are limited to the standard scheme: in early spring, they bring nitrogen fertilizers, at the end of the season - potash and phosphorus. After the application of mineral fertilizers, the soil surface is mulched with compost or humus.

Reproduction methods

Mulberry is able to reproduce by most known methods: root shoots, layering, cuttings, grafting, seeds. Each of them has its own merits.

• The simplest and easy way- use of root shoots. But in this case planting material little is obtained.
• You can speed up the formation of young sprouts by making layering or cutting cuttings. When and how best to plant mulberry cuttings? Summer - optimal time to obtain green cuttings and their rooting. In cut shoots, 2-3 lower leaves are removed, leaving 2-3 upper ones (shortening them by half). The cuttings placed under the film in a moist substrate take root in about a month. Semi-lignified cuttings will need one and a half times more time for this. Fully lignified shoots take root with even greater difficulty; this will require the use of special root formation stimulants.
• The most common way to obtain seedlings is to grow mulberries from seeds. Their germination becomes higher after stratification. To do this, moistened seeds are kept in the refrigerator for about one and a half months. You can carry out natural stratification by sowing seeds in the ground on the eve of winter. An important advantage of seedlings obtained from seeds is their greater stability and better acclimatization. The disadvantage of this method is the late entry of young plants into fruiting.
• Mulberry grafting allows you to get the first harvest fragrant berries much earlier. In addition, grafting on one bole different varieties plants manage to achieve a delightful result: openwork foliage of various shapes and colors enchants and a kaleidoscope of multi-colored shiny berries completes the effect!

Advice. As a stock, it is better to take white mulberry, which is a more stable form.

What can be grafted onto mulberry? Of course, its most diverse varieties, differing in the shape of the crown, the cut and color of the foliage, the color and taste of the fruit. And even grapes are grafted! To do this, a hole is drilled in the peripheral part of the trunk of the mother plant, into which a young shoot of the vine is threaded. For some time they exist together, then a sprig of grapes grows together with mulberry.

Possible difficulties

A relatively new culture for central Russia, fortunately, gets sick quite rarely. The most common cause of damage is freezing. Branches that have not fully matured and the root system are subject to it. Protecting the latter is relatively simple, it is enough to pile hay or spruce branches into tree trunks. The plant tolerates freezing of part of the branches painlessly, quickly recovering in the spring.

Mulberry fruits, shaped like blackberries, are extremely useful and are used as a natural antiseptic.

Mulberry in medicine: benefits and contraindications of fruits

Mulberry- a genus of deciduous trees of the mulberry family. In culture for over 3000 years. People breed them for the leaves - the main food of silkworms and as a fruit crop. There are about 10 species in the genus, but three are most commonly used. Berries are a brush of juicy grains with skin, pulp and small grains.

There are many types, forms and varieties, among which black, white and red mulberries stand out for their fruits. All species are fast-growing deciduous dioecious plants, they are distinguished by a variety of leaf shapes, which even on one branch can be three-, five-fingered and whole heart-shaped.

All parts of the mulberry tree contain a milky sap that is released when the tissues of the plant are injured. The fruits resemble berries or, in some cases contain seeds, in others they are seedless.

As you can see in the photo, mulberries are shaped like drupes and reach 2-3 cm:

The fruits are juicy, sweet, have a pleasant aroma. The first fruits begin to ripen in mid-July. The main ripening period comes at the end of July beginning of August.

In medicine, mulberry was the first to be used by the medieval Persian scientist, physician and philosopher Abu Ali ibn Sina - Avicenna, who was one of the first to draw attention to the benefits of using this plant.

All parts of the tree are used for treatment - roots, bark, leaves and fruits. This plant is an excellent natural antiseptic, can be used as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, diuretic, diaphoretic, astringent.

It is used in the production of sugar, citric acid and vinegar. In folk medicine, this unique plant can bring tangible benefits in the treatment of many diseases. Berries, fully ripe, are an excellent laxative, suitable for constipation. Green fruits are used for diarrhea. Juice, diluted boiled water, used for rinsing the mouth with diseases of the throat. An infusion of bark and mulberries is effective for acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, bronchial asthma.

As a diuretic, decoctions of the bark and roots are used for hypertension. Leaves insist and take infusions for fever to reduce the temperature. It is recommended to consume berries in in large numbers with heart disease and myocardial dystrophy. A healing powder is made from the bark, if you mix it with oil, you get a remedy for healing wounds, cuts, ulcers. This ointment quickly eliminates bruises.

Eating it helps in the treatment of prostatitis and impotence, with uterine bleeding and to alleviate menopausal syndrome.

The main contraindication of mulberry is individual intolerance. Excessive consumption of this berry can cause disorders from digestive system. In addition, people who suffer diabetes or hypertension before eating berries, you should consult your doctor.

Black and white mulberry: photo and description

There are about 24 species of mulberry growing in the Eastern and South East Asia, on the Sunda Islands, in India, in the southern part of North America, partly in Africa and in the south of Europe. In culture, 2 types are common - white and black mulberries.

Grown for the sake of fruits and for the sake of obtaining leaves for feeding the silkworm. To feed the silkworm, white, silkworm and multistalked mulberry are cultivated, and black mulberry is also cultivated to obtain fruits.

white mulberry can have not only white, but also pink, yellow and even black fruits - this variety got its name thanks to light color tree bark.

White mulberry comes from Asia Minor and East Asia. This is a fast-growing tall long-lived tree with a dense spherical or spreading crown. The leaves on one tree grow in a variety of configurations, they are dark green in summer and yellow in autumn. In this type of mulberry, the berries deserve a special description - surprisingly sugary in taste.

It is unpretentious to the soil and to the conditions of detention - it grows successfully in the conditions of the city, and its long roots help to fix slopes and ravines. At a young age, it easily tolerates transplantation. This species withstands significant frosts (up to -30 degrees), and when young branches freeze after pruning, it quickly grows and restores fruiting.

It is also grown by gardeners as an ornamental plant: there are many garden forms with a weeping, pyramidal, spherical, multi-stemmed, dwarf crown and various leaves. Decorative forms are propagated by grafting and vegetatively.

Pay attention to the photo - white mulberry is used for single, group planting and for creating a dense hedge, as it tolerates regular shearing.

Mulberry black originally from Iran and Afghanistan. In nature and in hot countries, it is large tree up to 15 m high. The wide spreading crown is covered with large leaves. Shiny black fruits are very juicy and tasty, sweetish-sour.

summer green deciduous tree with a low, very wide and spreading crown. The width of the tree is usually much larger than the height. The trunk is often twisted, curved or crooked. The bark is dark brown or orange-brown, fissured. Leaves 7-18 cm long and about 8 cm wide are broadly oval and heart-shaped, with a short slender apex, deeply notched at the base, unevenly crenate, serrated-crenate or slightly lobed along the edge; from the upper side rough, pubescent, light green to bright green, from the bottom - light green, with soft pubescence.

The plant is monoecious. Men's earrings are short and thickened, pale green. The female inflorescences are even shorter. The fruits do not develop from the carpels, but from the elements of the flower cover. Blooms in May-June.

Below are descriptions of black and white mulberry varieties.

Black Baroness. Deciduous dioecious tree with a moderately dense spherical crown. The flowers are dioecious, collected in spikes. Leaves simple, 3-5 lobed or entire. The seed fruit is a large one-dimensional edible, juicy, sugary complex drupe of thick black color. The taste is very sweet pleasant with almost no acid. The aroma is slight. Fruiting is abundant and regular, the berries ripen in June-July. The yield is high. The transportability of berries is satisfactory. The shelf life of fresh berries without spoilage is 6-12 hours. The variety is unpretentious to the soil and to the conditions of detention. Withstands frosts of -30°C and above.

Darkie- a variety of white mulberry. A large deciduous tree with a dense spreading crown. The yield is high. The fruits are almost black, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.2 cm in diameter, juicy, sweet, ripen in June-July. Transportability is good. When describing this variety of mulberry, it is especially worth noting the frost resistance, drought resistance and unpretentiousness of trees.

Mulberry black Istanbul. One of the most large-fruited varieties mulberries. The tree is tall, up to 7 m high. The crown is dense, spherical. Begins bearing at 4 years of age.

Look at the photo - this black mulberry has small flowers, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences:

Leaves are ovate. Blooms at the end of April. Ripe fruits are almost black in color, large 3 cm in length. The ripening period is long from the second decade of July to August - the third decade.

Unpretentious to the soil and to the conditions of detention. Withstands frosts down to -30°С

Planting and caring for mulberries in spring and autumn

The plant is easy to grow, unpretentiousness allows you to plant it on any soil. The plant loves moderate watering and soil mulching. The tree tolerates pruning well, this leads to the fact that the crown becomes more dense and spherical in shape. In winter, no shelter is required - it withstands frost well. In summer, it calmly withstands drought. Propagated by cuttings, seeds or separation of offspring from the mother plant.

There are two main landing methods: seedlings and seeds.

For planting and subsequent care for mulberries, a sunny place is used, the soil should be loose so that it is easier to make grooves. These grooves need to be well watered, it is advisable to add fertilizer to the water for fruit crops.

Sow seeds as little as possible - this will facilitate the seating of seedlings. It is necessary to sow the seeds at a depth of 3 - 5 cm, after sowing, water and mulch abundantly so that the soil does not dry out. When planting in autumn, take care of warming so that the seeds do not freeze.

After the seedlings sprout, they need to be watered and weeded periodically. Seedlings can be fed with fertilizers for better growth. At proper care mulberry seedlings will be strong and large by autumn. They will need to be seated - the distance should be from 3 to 5 meters.

Seedlings should be planted in early spring in the sunniest spot. After digging a hole, add compost or nutrient soil to it, pour plenty of water with fertilizer diluted in it for better rooting of seedlings and cover with soil. Water again and mulch the soil around the seedling.

Mulberry care in spring, summer and autumn consists of weeding and watering. Seedlings can also be planted in the fall, but this must be done one and a half months before frost. So that the tree does not grow too large and looks well-groomed, its crown must be periodically cut and shaped.

Pruning mulberry trees (with video)

Mulberry pruning is carried out only during the period of complete dormancy from the beginning to the middle of winter. In older trees, however, intensive sap flow may already occur at this time; a red-hot poker is traditionally used to cauterize wounds.

Trim old trees only when necessary - remove infected and damaged branches in summer. Juice is also released through the wounds in the roots; do not cut them off when planting.

Later pruning of a well-formed tree can be reduced to an absolute minimum.

In a young tree, clear the branches with a stem to a height of 1.5 m so that the sprawling branches of an adult plant do not fall to the ground.

Unwanted shoots on the emerging stem are shortened in the first year, and completely removed in the second.

To form a structurally strong tree, try to keep the main shoot to a height of about 6 m, tie it up if necessary and remove competing leaders, otherwise allow the crown to develop naturally.

To facilitate harvesting, low-growing compact trees can be formed.

Cut the apical shoot directly above the top 3-4 strong side shoots, at a height of 1-1.5 meters. Form a skeleton of 8-10 branches, like a low stem apple tree.

Then allow the crown to develop naturally, keeping pruning to a minimum. Unwanted shoots must be quickly plucked or cut.

Young trees are easy to form. Seedlings slowly form side shoots, therefore, their pruning to clean the stem may be required only after 3-4 years, as with some decorative stem trees.

Once the stem is formed, allow the crown to develop naturally or, for more shaping compact tree, cut the top and upper side branches, like a low-stem one, this and next year.

Watch the video of mulberry pruning to better understand how this procedure is performed:

Mulberry Grafting Rules

If for some reason the plant produces poor-quality fruits, or you want to grow several varieties on one tree at once, then the grafting procedure will help you.

The first step is to make sure that the cuttings are prepared in advance. Annual shoots are cut from the top of the fruit tree crown from the well-lit side in early spring or late winter, when there are no more severe frosts. Store them in a damp, cool place, wrapped in a damp cloth. It is very important that the cuttings are prepared correctly and not frozen.

Most often, mulberry grafting is done in the spring, in early or mid-April. The period of spring grafting begins with the beginning of bud break on the tree and lasts until the end of flowering. At this time, the circulation of juices in the tree trunk reaches a peak, which means that there is a high probability that the scion and rootstock will grow together.

Vaccination in the summer is also welcome, it can be repeated - after the unsuccessful implementation of this procedure in the spring. For summer budding, shoots of the current year are used, and they are not harvested in advance. To do this, choose vegetative shoots: elongated, fruitful and with big leaves. It is also important that the kidneys on them are well developed.

It is very important to follow the rules of mulberry grafting:

• The work must be done with clean and well-sharpened tools so that the cuts are of high quality the first time.
• The cuts quickly oxidize, so the work must be done quickly enough.
• Wounds, after the behavior of the procedure, must be treated with a special putty - garden pitch or oil paint.

The mulberry tree is otherwise called the mulberry tree, since it belongs to the mulberry family, which is represented by the genus tall shrubs and trees. The berries, as they are believed, are not really berries, but the seedlings of small nuts with fused pericarps.

Many gardeners are aware of useful properties ah, mulberry, but many believe that it does not grow in our area, as they consider this plant exotic. But even in our area you can successfully grow mulberries. So, mulberry - planting and caring for it.

Mulberry varieties

To date, varieties such as ornamental, fruit and fodder are known. Most Popular fruit varieties- white and black mulberry, there are also breeding varieties of white mulberry:

• Diana,
• Masha,
• Snow White and others.

Ornamental mulberry varieties such as:

• Laciniata,
• aurea,
• Globos

and others, decorate your garden with a variety of flowers and leaf shapes. Perhaps these are the most famous and grown varieties in our area.

White and black mulberries: planting and care

Mulberry is a tree with a height of more than 10 meters and is resistant to cold, so it tolerates our winters well. One mulberry tree may have female or male flowers, but there are also specimens of trees on which both flowers are found.

Mulberry gained its popularity not only due to its tasty and varied in color (from white to dark purple) fruits, but also for a lot of useful properties. There are two main planting methods for growing white mulberries: seedlings and seeds. Each method requires skill and right approach Otherwise, all your hard work may be in vain.

Planting mulberries - seed method

Seeds can be planted as late autumn, and in spring, but in both cases, the seeds must be treated with a special solution intended for seeds. If you decide to plant mulberry seeds in the fall, then this is best done in mid or late October.

If in the spring, then the seeds must be subjected to stratification for 1 - 2 months before planting for better seed germination. You can also soak the seeds for two days according to this method: 1 day in cold water, and the second in warm water 30 - 35%. This method can be used in place of a two-month soak.

Before planting, choose an unshaded, sunny location and prepare the grooves in which you will place the seeds. These grooves need to be well watered, it is advisable to add fertilizer for fruit and berry crops to the water. Also, it will not be superfluous to protect your seeds from rodents. Mulberry seeds are very small, but try to sow them as little as possible, this will make it easier for you to plant seedlings.

It is necessary to sow the seeds at a depth of 3-5 cm, after sowing, water and mulch abundantly so that the soil does not dry out, and if you plant in the fall, take care of warming your garden bed so that the seeds do not freeze.

After the seedlings sprout, you will need to periodically water and weed them. Mulberry seedlings, like other plants, can be fertilized for better growth. At proper cultivation your seedlings will be strong and large by autumn.

These seedlings will need to be planted out to give them more room to grow. better development. The recommended distance should be between 3 and 5 meters, but the distance depends on the mulberry variety. Mulberry begins to bear fruit after 3 - 5 years, depending on the care and variety.

Planting mulberry seedlings

Now many companies offer to buy mulberry seedlings and this is perhaps the least laborious way to plant this tree. Purchased seedlings should be planted in early spring in the sunniest place.

After digging a hole, add compost or nutrient soil to it, pour plenty of water with fertilizer diluted in it for better rooting of seedlings and cover with soil. Water again and mulch the soil around the seedling. Care of seedlings consists in weeding and watering.

Seedlings can also be planted in the fall, but this must be done a month and a half before frost, so that the sazhens have time to take root.

So that the tree does not grow too large and looks well-groomed, its crown must be periodically cut and shaped.

Decorative mulberry - planting and care

The most common variety of decorative mulberry is “hanging”, up to 2.5 m high. This variety got its name for long, thin, hanging branches. Mulberry will perfectly decorate your garden, besides, this variety also bears fruit.

It is better to plant this variety in autumn, in the middle or end of October. In the first year of life of a planted tree, it must be fed with complex fertilizers once a month, watered in dry weather and weeds removed. This variety of mulberry does not need to form a crown, which greatly facilitates care, but do not forget to remove dried branches.

How to graft a mulberry

Mulberry can be grafted and this will speed up its fruiting, so the stalk must be taken from an already fruiting tree. You need to harvest the stalk in the fall and store it in the basement, or in the spring before blooming, but well-developed buds. You need to graft mulberries 1.5 - 3 weeks before flowering.

Grafting method. Make a T-shaped cut in the tree sharp knife and bend the bark of the tree all over the cut. Insert the prepared stalk into the incision so that the kidneys are placed symmetrically to the edges of the cortex of the incision and tie the fabric with plastic wrap, while leaving the kidney open.

Useful properties of mulberry

Mulberry is very rich in vitamins and is able to get rid of many diseases, and medicinal properties possess not only leaves and berries, but even the bark. Tincture from the berries of this tree has a diuretic, diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory effect.

For older people, mulberry will help get rid of low pressure, improve vision and hearing. Patients with diabetes can add mulberries to food or eat fresh berries. Black mulberry will help with heartburn or constipation, and for sufferers overweight black berry will help get rid of it.

The beneficial properties of mulberry can be listed for a long time, so it can be used both by children to strengthen immunity, and by adults, replenishing their body with vitamins.

Mulberry, or mulberry (lat. Morus) - a tall tree with sweet berries that look like blackberries, black, white or color pink. For a long time, this plant was considered an exclusively southern culture, but thanks to the efforts of gardeners and breeders, its distribution area has expanded significantly. Is it possible to succeed in growing mulberry in central Russia and which varieties are better to choose for planting?

Is it possible to grow mulberries in central Russia?

Mulberry is a thermophilic plant. In nature, it grows in regions with a subtropical climate, where it is widely used to breed silkworms, from whose cocoons natural silk is produced.

In our country, mulberry is most often planted for the sake of obtaining delicious fruits. Two types of this plant are especially popular:

• black mulberry (Mórus nigra),
• white mulberry (Mórus alba).

Experienced gardeners for growing in central Russia recommend white mulberry. Unlike the black one, which often dies at temperatures below -15 ° C, it withstands frosts down to -30 ° C without significant damage to the crown and root system.

White mulberry winters well in central Russia

Determining the type of mulberry tree is quite easy. The main distinguishing features of the white mulberry are the light gray color of the bark and medium-sized ovate-pointed or dissected-lobed leaves. At the same time, the color of berries of different varieties can be either white or pink, or almost black.

But even a fairly winter-hardy white mulberry does not feel very comfortable in a cold climate. So, in the southern regions of our country, the height of an adult tree is usually about 15 meters, and in the middle lane it rarely grows more than 4 meters and has the shape of a bush.

Video: the experience of growing mulberries in central Russia

Features of agricultural technology

In the south, mulberry is one of the most unpretentious fruit crops. But gardeners of the middle lane to get good harvest will have to put in a lot of effort. Especially a lot of attention is required for young plants with an underdeveloped root system.

Planting mulberries

Mulberry seedlings are usually planted in spring or autumn. In the conditions of central Russia, it is considered optimal spring planting, which is produced before the start of active sap flow. Over the summer, the plant has time to build up the root system and adapt to the conditions. open ground which allows you to survive the winter without much loss.

When choosing a place for a mulberry tree, the following conditions must be observed:

• good illumination;
• protection from strong winds;
• the distance from the planted plant to the nearest trees or buildings should not be less than 3 meters;
• light loamy, sandy or sandy soil.

When planting mulberries, choose sunny and wind-protected places on the site.

For planting mulberries, it is necessary to prepare in advance a hole with a depth of at least 70 cm and the same diameter. At its bottom, it is desirable to lay drainage from expanded clay or other small pebbles. This is especially true when landing in a heavy clay soil, capable of provoking root rot due to stagnant moisture. The pit is filled with humus or rotted compost by about a third. If desired, you can additionally add about 50 g of any complex fertilizer mixed with the soil.

During boarding young plant placed in a hole, carefully spreading the roots over its entire area, and gently sprinkled with earth. After that, 20–30 liters of water are poured into the trunk circle and carefully mulched in order to avoid severe drying of the soil.

Video: the subtleties of mulberry transplant

Most mulberry varieties are dioecious, so for successful fruiting on the site you need to have at least two trees - male and female. You can determine the sex of a plant by its flowers:

• in female specimens, they are collected in dense inflorescences-earrings, having a spike shape;
• in males, the inflorescences are looser and have a drooping stem.

It is possible to distinguish a male copy of a mulberry from a female one only after the start of flowering.

Care

Mulberry is a drought-resistant plant that does not tolerate excess moisture. Usually only young plants need additional watering. In especially dry and hot summers, you can water and mature tree. At the same time, it must be remembered that 15–20 liters of water per week is enough for mulberries.

The nutrients contained in the fertile soil with which the planting pit was filled are enough for two to three years. After the expiration of this period, in order to obtain a good harvest, the mulberry begins to be fed. Fertilization is carried out in two stages:

1. Before blooming leaves, about 50 grams of complex mineral fertilizer(Nitroamofoska, Azotofoska and others).
2. During the ripening period of berries, mulberries are fed with organic matter, for example, diluted infusion bird droppings(1:18) or fresh cattle manure (1:8).

When carrying out top dressing, it must be remembered that mulberries growing in too fertile soil often gain a large green mass and refuse to bear fruit. Excess nitrogen is especially harmful to this plant.

One of the most important procedures mulberry care is to prepare the tree for winter. It starts long before frost. Already in the second half of summer, the plant is no longer watered. This is necessary so that the green shoots have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather.

In September-October, the trunk circle of the mulberry is well loosened and covered with a layer of mulch. Its thickness should be at least 15 cm at the edges and 30 cm at the tree trunk. Young trees should be covered completely. nonwoven fabric or a breathable fabric.

Mulch protects the mulberry root system from severe frosts

crown formation

In central Russia, mulberry is usually grown in the form of a bush less than 3 meters high. To form a crown of this type, a plant that has reached three to four years old is cut out most shoots, leaving only 8-10 of the most developed. Then every year 2-3 branches are cut to the point of growth and replaced by younger ones. As a result, 3–4 branches of the second order and about 10 branches of the third order are formed on each skeletal shoot. After a few years of such pruning, the gardener gets an excellent mulberry bush, the shape of the crown of which allows you to harvest the entire crop without much difficulty.

Video: how to cut mulberry

After the crown is formed, sanitary pruning is carried out, relieving the mulberry from twisted, dry or damaged shoots. Usually it is carried out in the spring, before the start of sap flow, or in the fall - immediately after the leaves are shed.

In addition, once every 10–15 years, mulberries need rejuvenating pruning. During it, all shoots are reduced by a third, and several skeletal branches are completely removed, replacing them with younger ones.

In order to avoid infection of mulberries with viral and bacterial diseases, all tools used for pruning must be disinfected in advance.

The best varieties

Currently, breeders have bred many varieties of mulberry that easily tolerate the rather harsh climate of the middle zone of our country. Many of them are not inferior to their southern relatives either in taste or in yield.

Admiralskaya

Admiralskaya is the only variety of black mulberry recommended by the State Commission of the Russian Federation for testing and protection of breeding achievements for cultivation in the middle lane. It was received at the Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K. A. Timiryazev. It is a tall spreading plant with black berries that have a sweet taste and a refreshing aroma.

Mulberry berries of the Admiralskaya variety weigh about 1.5 grams

Admiralskaya differs from other varieties of black mulberry in high winter hardiness. In addition, it tolerates drought and extreme heat well, and is also practically not affected by diseases and pests. The average yield of an adult plant in the conditions of central Russia is about 5 kg.

Darkie

Smuglyanka, like most other varieties grown in central Russia, belongs to the botanical species of white mulberry. Due to its excellent winter hardiness and the ability to quickly restore frost-damaged shoots, it is very popular among gardeners in central Russia.

Mulberry Smuglyanka bears excellent fruit in the conditions of central Russia

The berries of Smuglyanka are black in color and have an excellent sweet and sour taste. This variety has a fairly high yield. Up to 500 g of fruits are harvested from one branch of an adult tree.

In central Russia, the fruits of Smuglyanka begin to ripen in the second half of June. Despite their juiciness, they tolerate transportation well and can be stored for up to 18 hours from the moment of collection.

An important advantage of the variety is its monoeciousness. Thanks to this quality, even a single-growing tree will produce a bountiful harvest.

Royal

Royal - one of the most fruitful grades of a mulberry. From a tree older than 7 years, you can collect about 10 kg of greenish-white berries. They have an excellent sweet taste and a well-defined aroma.

Mulberry of the Royal variety tolerates frosts down to -30 ° C. It is also highly resistant to adverse conditions such as extreme heat, lack of moisture and poor soil composition.

white honey

A variety of mulberries with white berries of a pleasant sweet taste without a pronounced aroma. They reach 3 cm in length and 1 cm in diameter. In the middle lane, the fruiting period of the White Honey mulberry variety usually occurs at the end of June or the beginning of July.

The berries of the White Honey variety are much larger than the fruits of most other mulberry varieties.

Among the shortcomings of this variety, gardeners note a very thin skin of the fruit, which makes it impossible to transport them. Picked berries must be processed within 5-6 hours.

During breeding trials, the Belaya Medovaya variety showed high winter hardiness. He easily tolerated frosts down to -30 ° C, even without additional shelter.

Staromoskovskaya

Staromoskovskaya is one of the few mulberry varieties that have male and female flowers on one plant. Among its other advantages:

• excellent sweet and sour taste and pleasant refreshing aroma of fruits,
• good yield,
• high winter hardiness,
• undemanding to the composition of the soil.

The fruits of the mulberry variety Staromoskovskaya are painted black

Reviews: middle lane gardeners about mulberry

I live in Moscow. My mulberry is about 50 years old, every year it bears abundant fruit, by the way, about frosts, it easily tolerates 40 degrees.

sergey0708

https://www.forumhouse.ru/threads/12586/

I have been growing mulberry for 5 years. Brought from the south. There she grew from a seed. At the time of landing it was 50 cm. Now it is 2.5 m. Doesn't bear fruit. The upper branches were frosted over before. Now less. I look forward to the harvest every year. Dacha in the northwest near Volokolamsk.

aster53

https://www.forumhouse.ru/threads/12586/page-2

I also have a white bush mulberry, I took it 4 years ago from Funtikov. The height is now about 1.7 meters. Only the tips of the branches, 12–15 centimeters, have frozen this year. Below are living buds, and tiny ovaries are already visible on them. Last year I tried the first berries. The color is white, sickly sweet, small.

Valery Gor

http://forum.prihoz.ru/viewtopic.php?t=537&start=210

In the spring of 2015, he planted 2 mulberries side by side - "Smuglyanka" and "Black Baroness". They took root well and grew up a lot in a year, but they froze out in winter - “Baroness” completely, and “Smuglyanka” almost to the ground. In the following 2016, 5–6 shoots a meter and a half long grew from the remaining hemp. In winter, they froze to about half. Since I don’t like it when my trees grow with a “broom”, I left the most powerful shoot, cut out the rest. And this remaining shoot had to be shortened to a height of 80–90 cm, because. the rest is dead. This year, 5-6 new shoots over one and a half meters long have grown from this small stem. The topmost and most powerful has already grown 2m in length. At the same time, he is still branching. Those. on the shoot of this year there are already branches of lateral branches, some up to a meter long. Branches not only the central, but also the rest of the shoots of this year.

http://dacha.wcb.ru/index.php?showtopic=35195&st=80

Every year, mulberry is becoming an increasingly popular crop in central Russia. Of course, in the conditions of this region, it requires much more care than in the south. But all the efforts of gardeners will be more than rewarded with a bountiful harvest of tasty and very healthy berries.