Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Dec 18, 2008 8:28 pm I had decided I wanted to grow a mulberry tree, wanting to eventually raise silk worms with the kids like we did when I was little, I mentioned such to my darling mum, and they proceeded to buy one for christmas for us. Trouble is they bought a 7 foot tall, skinny straggly white mulberry when I had been daydreaming about a well shaped weeping mulberry... But it's what we have now and it has to be cared for with lots of TLC because it was a gift.
So my question is, how to I coax this gangly proud tree in to a more compact shape, and keep it from getting too big. It has 4 long branches coming up from about two feet up the trunk. These branches go up to the 7 or so foot height. When should i prune it and how much can I prune at a time. ...yes i'm very new at this gardening thing. Anyone? Thanks Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 2Dec 18, 2008 9:21 pm There's a PM on the way with a contact from a fella who is a genius with pruning and taming anything horticultural... anything
I would suggest taking out the growing tip. plants send growth hormones to the tips more than the sides with trees and on shrubs it is sent out a little more evenly giving them a wider lower shape (generally). Once you take out the top of the tree, it will begin to divert the growth to more places over the tree rather than the one place it was. If you are feeling daring get into it by pruning no more than 1/4 of it's height and 1/4 from the side growth. This isn't the ideal time to do this but it certainly won't kill it then it will be a regular thing to clip and shape it 3-4 times a year at most. Feed up the soil with lots of sheep poo (no densified poultry manure) use lots and lots of seasol on it and some power feed that is made by the seasol mob. Then leave it at that Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 3Dec 18, 2008 9:49 pm Cool that sounds like a plan I can do, I was hoping I could take a chunk off the top bits. So 3-4 times a year means I can shape as it grows. They can grow rapidly can't they. Thanks. It's so ugly right now, I have high hopes! Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 4Dec 18, 2008 9:59 pm when you prune it, try cutting to just above the node on the branches. the further away from the node you clip the slower it takes for the new growth to come through. I guess after a while you will want to do that to slow the growth down. Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 5Jan 09, 2009 3:19 pm Hmm you "sure" the tree wasn't mislabled??? I mean perhaps it's a red not white.. can you kill it with kindness and then beg DH to get a new one. Deny all knowledge of it being a different berry colour. it must have been mislabled. oh dear!
Perhaps your Mum is like mine. as soon as I mentioned a mulberry tree she commented that I'd have to save some clothes as my berry picking clothes. When I was in year 1 and 2 there was one in the garden of the house right next to my school yard. The branches draped tantalizingly over into the school grounds. Of course we were all banned from touching it or picking the berries for fear of the cane. But we all managed to nibble the occasional one , very carefully. On the plus side. Thought I'd tell you this bit of news I read recently. It seems the white mulberry berry when rubbed on a red mulberry stain will make it come out??? Not sure if it removes it completely ( seems unlikely) or is if just loosens it for washing. But maybe you can have a red mulberry tree as well. I am keen to have one as well. ( have to talk DH into it yet) But If you can't plant both maybe we can do a berry trade. Blog http://wherethehearthis.blogspot.com/ Build https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=6634: Yard https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27687&p=378401#p378401 Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 6Jan 09, 2009 3:34 pm yep it is true
pretty sure the variety "shatoot" is a white Mulberry. Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 7Jan 09, 2009 9:56 pm No it's white for sure, there is one wee little mulberry on one branch. Well I took the top out of most of the tall branches, balanced it out a bit, and lo and behold it's starting to sprout out lower down where I want it. Yay maybe I can do this gardening caper!!
Quote: Hmm you "sure" the tree wasn't mislabled??? I mean perhaps it's a red not white.. can you kill it with kindness and then beg DH to get a new one. Deny all knowledge of it being a different berry colour. it must have been mislabled. oh dear! Smile Hmm I think I'd be pushing it!! if you read my curtain thread....having just spent over a grand on those and 700 on ceiling fans..my house budget has come to a screeching halt for the next few months! But yes as you suggest, there could be room for another down the track! In the weeping style I desire. Oh and apparently Mum and Dad didn't realise it was a white one till after they bought it....saw one at a price they wanted and grabbed it.. Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 8Jan 10, 2009 9:45 am If you are going to be looking for a weeping Mulberry they aren't always around here in WA in retail nurseries. PM me when you are looking, if I can't find one, I'll know who has them and when they will be ready for sale Re: Taming a eager mulberry tree. 9Jan 12, 2009 9:15 am All dark fruit juices can be removed by soaking clothes in vinegar and rinsing it thoroughly before you do anything to it. All soapy products including oxygen bleach will set the stain. My youngest son used to live in our mulberry in September , all his school teeshirts were subject to this treatment.
Maggie Hello. I just bought a few acres in Habana, Mackay, and my horses seem to love hanging around under this tree. I would like to name the paddock after this tree. Can… 0 9529 Fellow Perth dweller. Looks like pruns nigra. It's a dark leaf flowering plum. Doesn't get massive and is easily trimmed deciduous tree. Very popular in small gardens in Perth 7 2764 |