People have been growing mulberries since ancient times. Even in ancient times in southern countries, the leaves of this plant, eaten by a silkworm, were used to make a strong and beautiful thread. Mulberries are also appreciated for their decorative qualities. And, of course, many people like sweet fruits that are eaten raw, used to make juices, compotes, preserves and jams.
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Features of growing mulberry
Mulberry is quite unpretentious to soil conditions, but does not develop well on dry, saline, swampy soils. If the land on the site is acidic, then the intended site of mulberry planting must be cultivated by adding slaked lime, dolomite flour or chalk. Mulberries are planted in a sunny place protected from the wind.
Mulberry is unpretentious, but will give a greater yield in a sunny place
Mulberry planting
Mulberries are planted in April (before the start of sap flow) or in autumn. The planting scheme is as follows: on the site, 5 m away from the existing trees, there should be at least 4 m between the newly planted mulberry trees. For the seedling, they dig a hole 80 x 80 x 60 cm in size, put 2 buckets of rotted manure or compost there, mix with the soil. The planted tree is watered, the trunk circle is mulched.
Video: planting a mulberry seedling and caring for it
Mulberry care
Mulberry care has its own characteristics:
- To get a larger yield, mulberries need to be fed by adding rotted manure or compost to the trunk circle.
- For protection from frost and in regions with cold winters, mulberry seedlings can be covered with agrotex, straw, coniferous branches.
- When growing thermophilic plants, including mulberries, in regions with sharp temperature changes, it is necessary to remember the danger of damage to trunks and branches by spring return frosts. Therefore, in the spring, after removing the covering material, it is advisable to leave it next to the tree for the fastest re-shelter in case of a threat of frost.
- Damaged and diseased branches are cut out in the fall at an air temperature of at least -10aboutFROM.
- Watering of trees is carried out in the first half of summer, so as not to cause rapid pre-winter growth of shoots, which is fraught with freezing of the tree.
- To add decorative effect and facilitate harvesting, it is advisable to form mulberry trees with a height of 2–4 m. In this case, you need to leave a stem of 0.5–1 m, to this height, cut off all lateral shoots.
Recently, the interest of connoisseurs of decorative living compositions has been aroused by the standard weeping mulberry. To form a weeping shape, the branches are cut into the lower and lateral buds. Heavy pruning with this crown shape will not spoil the appearance of the tree, but will reduce yields.
Stamp weeping mulberry will decorate the site
Mulberry species
Of the wide variety of species and hybrids of mulberry (according to some sources, there are about 200) in Russia and Ukraine, white mulberry and black mulberry have become widespread.
Black mulberry
Black mulberry got its name from the dark color of tree trunks and branches. The plant has purple-black fruits with a more aromatic sweet taste in comparison with white mulberry. Black culture is more thermophilic than white.
The mulberry tree lives for about 200 years.
Black mulberry has a trunk and branches of a dark color
Video: black mulberry
Black mulberry varieties:
- Galicia. Large-fruited variety bred at the Merefinsky Institute of Sericulture (Ukraine). Compound fruits are 6–8 cm long, oblong, black or dark purple in color. The taste is sweet with a light berry aroma. The yield reaches 40 kg of fruits from a 5-7-year-old tree. The plant is frost-resistant, resistant to disease. Crohn medium density. The leaves are large, 27 x 16 cm.
- Black Prince. Drought-resistant and frost-resistant large-fruited variety. One of the few mulberry varieties that is recommended for growing in Siberia. Fruits reach a length of 5 cm, black in color, aromatic sweet and sour taste, juicy, contain a lot of iron. The variety has a high yield and regular fruiting. Fruit transportability is high. A plant with high decorative properties, it grows quickly. When young branches freeze after pruning, it quickly restores a beautiful appearance and yield.
Mulberry Black Prince can be grown in Siberia
- Black Pearl. Large-fruited variety. Black fruits of sweet pleasant taste reach a length of 4 cm, weight 6–10 g. The tree is medium-sized - about 3.5 m. Fruiting, which begins in June, lasts 1.5–2 months. The tree bears its first fruits 5 years after planting. The yield is high: in favorable conditions (for example, in Kiev), 100 kg of fruit can be harvested from a 10-year-old tree. Its decorative properties make it possible to use the variety in landscape design.
Mulberry Black pearl can produce 100 kg of fruit
- Nadia. Large-fruited drought-resistant variety. Reaches the best development on fertile, drained soils with good sunlight. The tree is medium-sized. Fruits are black-purple, sweet taste, up to 3.5 cm long. Fruiting occurs in the second half of summer, at 5 years of age the tree gives up to 17 kg of fruit. The advantage of the variety is its disease resistance.
- Hope. Large-fruited variety of medium ripening (July), national selection. Elongated dark seedlings reach 5 cm in length, weight 15–20 g. Taste - sweet and sour. The tree gives a large and stable harvest every year. Plants tolerate moderate frost, strong winds and drought tolerance.
- Shelley No. 150. This popular variety was bred by L.I. Prokazin in the Poltava region. A medium-sized (3.5–5 m) tree is distinguished by large leaves that reach 50 cm. Black elongated fruits up to 5.5 cm long are also matched to the leaves. The variety is characterized by high productivity and disease resistance. The transportability of the fruits is average.
Shelley mulberry No. 150 has large leaves and fruits
White mulberry
White mulberry is so named for the light color of tree trunks and branches. The fruits of this species can have different colors: white, pink, cream, black. The species is more frost-resistant than other types of mulberry, which makes it possible to grow it not only in the southern, but also in the northern regions of Russia and Ukraine. In the south, in more familiar conditions, the tree reaches a height of 10-15 m, in the north - 5 m. Fruits of a sweet taste.
Photo gallery: features of white mulberry
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- White mulberry has a light trunk
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- White mulberry fruits can be of different colors
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- White mulberry gets its name from the color of the branches, not the fruit.
White mulberry varieties:
- Black Baroness. The variety of the selection of the agricultural firm "Rostok" from the Belgorod region, frost-resistant (withstands cold up to -30 ° C). It has black fruits of sweet taste with a weak aroma, up to 3.5 cm long, up to 1.5 cm in diameter. Fruits in June - July, high yield - up to 100 kg per tree. When freezing, quickly restores shoots.
Mulberry Black Baroness easily survives frosts
- White honey. A popular frost-resistant variety that resists diseases well. Plant with a dense, wide-pyramidal crown. Sweet juicy fruits of honey taste, no aroma, white color. Fruit length - up to 3 cm, diameter - 1 cm. Harvesting begins in late June and continues until early August. Fresh berries practically cannot stand transportation. In case of freezing of young branches after pruning, the plant quickly grows back and restores productivity.
Fresh mulberries White honey practically cannot stand transportation
- The dark woman. Another variety of the Rostok agricultural firm. The name is associated with the almost black fruit. Differs in frost resistance (tolerates cold up to -30 ° C). When young branches freeze, it grows quickly and restores productivity. The tree has a wide-pyramidal crown. The fruits are sweet, without aroma, with a slight sourness, up to 3.5 cm long, 1.2 cm in diameter. High-yielding variety. Good transportability (compared to other mulberry varieties). Fresh berries can be stored for 12-18 hours.
- Ostryakovskaya. Another variety of white mulberry with black fruits. A vigorous tree up to 5.5 m in height successfully tolerates frosts down to -25aboutC. Large fleshy juicy fruits have a sweet and sour taste. Due to the uneven ripening period of the fruits, starting from mid-June, one can find light, reddish and black berries on one branch. The disadvantages of the variety include the instability to disease, pest damage.
- Ukrainian 6. Variety of white mulberry with black fruit. Bred at the Ukrainian Research Institute of silkworming. Differs in frost resistance (up to -28 ° C). Begins to bear fruit in the 4th or 5th year. Sweet, acid-free, large fruits ripen from the beginning of June, reach a size of 4 cm or more, up to 0.8 cm in diameter. The yield is average. The plant is vigorous, with a dense spherical crown. Fresh seedlings can be stored for over 12 hours. Fruit transportability is good. The tree is decorative, used in landscaping. In case of freezing of young branches after pruning, the plant quickly regains its attractive appearance and yield.
- White tenderness. The variety is early ripening (fruits ripen from the beginning of June), the maturation lasts about 2 months. It is characterized by good winter hardiness and disease resistance. The plant is vigorous, the crown is compact. In the first years of life, the leaves are large, with an increase in yield, they become smaller. The fruits are juicy, large, white. The taste is sweet, but it gets worse in rainy weather, the berries lose their sweetness.
Mulberry White tenderness is characterized by good winter hardiness, disease resistance
- Pink Smolensk. New frost-resistant medium-early variety (begins to bear fruit from the beginning of July). The plant is unpretentious, fruits appear in the 1st year after planting the seedling. Sweet seedlings of pink or red color 2-3 cm long. The plant has an attractive leaf shape and multi-colored fruits, which can be used in the preparation of decorative compositions in the garden.
Mulberry Pink Smolenskaya has multi-colored fruits
Mulberry varieties for growing in different regions
Climatic conditions (cold winters, the likelihood of recurrent spring frosts, the number of sunny days per year, etc.) are one of the main factors that distinguish different regions. When planting a mulberry seedling, these factors must be considered.
For central Russia
Central Russia is characterized by cold winters, unpleasant for thermophilic plants. The probability of return frosts in spring is high. In this regard, in this area, the mulberry is formed in the form of a bush up to 5 m high. This is done to reduce the risk of frost damage to the entire aerial part of the plant.
In the southern part of the middle zone, the drought resistance of the variety must also be taken into account.
For these places, varieties are applicable:
- White honey
- Black Baroness,
- Nadia,
- Dark-haired woman,
- Ostryakovskaya,
- Black Prince,
- Vladimirskaya,
- Ukrainian 6,
- White tenderness
- Pink Smolensk.
For North-West Russia
Northwest Russia is a difficult region for mulberry cultivation. For most varieties of plants, more accustomed to the climatic conditions of the southern regions, cold winters are destructive. The lack of sunlight also has a negative effect. In this regard, it is necessary to choose early-maturing varieties, the plants should be formed in the form of a bush up to 5 m high. Mulberry itself in such conditions will tend to grow in the form of a bush. You just need to cut out dried, broken branches, and also avoid thickening.
Mulberries should only be planted in a dry, lighted place. The groundwater level should not be higher than 1.5 m. For the winter, plants must be covered (with straw, coniferous branches, wrapped with agrotex). Annual plants can dig up and store in a cellar until spring to protect young seedlings from severe winter frosts.
You can experiment with varieties:
- White honey
- Black Prince.
For Ukraine
For growing in Ukraine, first of all, varieties of Ukrainian selection are suitable:
- Shelley No. 150,
- Galicia,
- Nadia,
- Ukrainian 6.
According to climatic conditions, the possibility of obtaining fruits of high taste, other varieties are also suitable:
- White honey
- Black Baroness,
- Black Prince,
- Black Pearl,
- Dark-haired woman,
- Hope,
- White tenderness
- Ostryakovskaya
- Pink Smolensk.
Gardeners reviews
When breeding with mulberry, there is a good sign of large-fruited future seedlings - the size of the first leaves. If they are large, then there is a high probability that the seedlings will be large, which means that you have to wait for the harvest and select the forms. If the first leaves are small, then you can no longer waste time waiting, but get rid of this form - the fruit will certainly be small. By the way, according to the first leaves, you can check the perspective that awaits the purchased mulberry seedling in the nursery or at the bazaar. The first leaves are small - you can safely re-graft it and not waste time waiting for the first small seedlings. After the beginning of fruiting, the leaves decrease in size as the crop grows. Trimming the crown accordingly affects the size of the seed. But how much - decide for yourself. If on an untouched tree the Shelley seedlings reach 50 X 20 mm, then on where I cut the cuttings from, they were 55 X 20 mm. Probably, with age, if you do not trim the crown at all, then the fruit will be even smaller. So far I have no such trees.
And I have 3 mulberry trees growing since the fall of 2011, planted with one-year-old seedlings, varieties - Smuglyanka, Black Baroness and white (this is the color, I don’t know the variety), since 2013 all bear fruit, although in winter the tops of the branches freeze at a height of 3 meters about. I never covered it, I just cut out the branches, they thicken very much ...
There are a lot of mulberries growing in our yard, and everyone who is not lazy picks them. There are both white and black. Mulberry is very tasty and healthy, but I don't pick it in the yard. I am accustomed to always washing berries before eating, and I also love everything that grows in my garden.
I have a black mulberry in my garden, but there is a white one nearby. The berries are black in color with a pleasant sourness, sour - sweet, ours are not too large, as in the Crimea, for example, where I was lucky to pick them from a tree. The berries are white, completely without any acid, honey-sweet. You choose. I like both options, but only plucked from the tree and immediately eat them. For harvesting, I saw how they harvest the crop - they lay a film under the tree and leave it for several days - the berries fall and then they are simply poured into a container. Fruiting is long, so I just have time to eat during the season.
Mulberry was bought 8-9 years ago by a seedling about 1 meter, the first few years practically did not grow. I never got sick, did not freeze. It bloomed for the first time last year, but I did not wait for the berries. I don't know the variety of this mulberry. About 20 meters to the east there are two small black mulberries, they are about 5-6 years old.One of them I bought as the Black Baroness, grade 2 I don’t know. The same picture is observed, they practically do not grow, and they freeze almost every year. There are also several berries on the Black Baroness, which are already starting to turn black. My neighbor also has mulberries, which are older than my mulberries, but they have never even bloomed with him.
Mulberry can be grown in different regions of Russia and Ukraine. At the same time, it is important to observe the general rules of agricultural cultivation, to choose a variety and shape appropriate for the climate. Mulberry will delight gardeners not only with delicious fruits, but also with an attractive appearance.
