Useful properties and contraindications of the mulberry tree. Decorative mulberry to give a special charm to your site

Mulberry (mulberry tree, here, mulberry, tyutina) is a culture that became famous for the famous Chinese silk produced in ancient times from its fibers, as well as delicious fruits which are widely used in cooking. For many years, distribution among gardeners mulberry tree limited by the apparent complexity of cultivation and care.

History of cultivation

The mulberry tree originally grew in China, India and Japan, but was processed only in China. The culture was valued for its fibers, from which the famous Chinese silk was subsequently created.

According to legend, a certain Xi Lungchi, the Chinese empress, was the first to see the silk fibers that entangled silkworm caterpillars. Having unwound them, the royal person made an outfit for herself.

The birthplace of mulberry is the broad-leaved forests of China

In Russia, the first mulberry plantation appeared under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the father of Peter I. The initiative was continued by his son: Peter I banned the felling of the mulberry tree and purposefully created mulberry plantations. Currently, the mulberry tree is also grown for the silk industry, but in summer cottages it is planted for the sake of tasty healing berries.

Mulberry is not only tasty, but also a healthy berry

Male and female mulberries

Mulberry is a culture whose representatives can be both monoecious and dioecious. Dioecious species are represented by male and female plants, and to obtain a crop, both specimens must be present on the site.

Female mulberry inflorescences are dense "earrings"

How to distinguish male plant from female:

1. Fruiting. This method of determination implies a long wait for fruiting (4–5 years), which is one of its disadvantages. The fruits are tied only on females. Of course, the method is unreliable, because the female plant may lack pollen to set fruit.
2. The structure of inflorescences. The method is much more reliable, but requires minimal botanical knowledge or observation. Female inflorescences are spike-shaped "earrings", where each flower contains a two-snouted pistil and a perianth of four leaves. Male inflorescences are slightly drooping and more friable.

The inflorescences of the male mulberry specimen are loose, slightly drooping

On bisexual plants, both male and female inflorescences can be seen.

In order to speed up the process of recognizing the "sex" of mulberries, it is recommended to purchase three-year-old seedlings that already had the first offspring.

Content of mulberry with other plants

The mulberry tree "tolerates" the neighborhood only with relatives. Thus, only other species or varieties can be planted next to the mulberry in order to prevent the oppression of other plants.

Some gardeners claim that mulberries are incompatible with walnuts and Manchurian nuts, but get along well with grapes.

Types and varieties of mulberry

The most famous types of mulberry are black, white and red.

The tree originally grew in the territories of Iran and Afghanistan. The height of the plant reaches 15 m, the crown is spreading. The leaves are broadly ovate, asymmetrical, up to 20 cm long, up to 15 cm wide. The upper side of the leaf is rough, on the lower side there is a slight felt pubescence. Fruits are black, sweet-sour, glossy, up to 3 cm in length. This species is drought-resistant, but has a high thermophilicity, unlike white or red mulberry.

Berries black mulberry large, dark colored

Varieties of black mulberry

Most popular varieties black mulberry are considered the following:

• Remontant - a dwarf form of mulberry that can be grown in containers;
• Shelly No. 150 - large-fruited mulberry, fruits 5.5 cm long. Leaves can reach 50 cm in length and are used in floristry;
• Royal is a medium-sized variety, the fruits of which reach 3 cm. It tolerates shaping well. It is highly resistant to pests and diseases;
• The Black Prince is a large-fruited form, berries from 4–5 cm in length. The variety is notable for its high frost resistance;
• Black Pearl is a self-fertile, large-fruited variety (berries up to 5.5 cm). The first fruits ripen already in June, but are poorly preserved on the branches, quickly falling off;
• Plodovaya-4 is a compact (up to 5 m) large-fruited variety. Differs in long fruiting;
• Hope - the variety is notable for its rapid fruiting (in the 2nd year of cultivation), as well as abundant yields.

A tree native to China, 13 to 18 m high, with a dense spherical crown. The bark on young shoots is gray-green or red-brown. The leaves are varied both in shape and size. The fruits of white mulberry are considered the sweetest. The color of the fruit can be yellowish-cream, pinkish, black. The name of the species was due to the light bark. White mulberry is resistant to adverse conditions (for example, it grows well in the city), frost resistance, and also undemanding care.

The species got its name for the light bark, and the fruits of the white mulberry can be colored yellowish, delicate pink or almost black.

Varieties of white mulberry

White mulberry presented the largest assortment, since it was brought from Asia before red and black mulberries. Decorative varieties of white mulberry:

• Weeping - undersized form (up to 5 m), the crown consists of thin drooping branches;
• Pyramidal - characterized by a narrow pyramidal crown up to 8 m tall and lobed leaves;
• Spherical - a low standard form, the crown of which is spherical, dense;
• Spoon-shaped - the form develops in the form of a multi-stemmed tree up to 5 m high, the fruits of which ripen early. Received the name for the folded leaves bent along the median vein;
• Large-leaved - mulberry leaves, together with the petiole, reach 22 cm in length;
• Dissected - undersized form, the leaves of which are divided into lobes, some are slightly concave;
• Golden - young leaves and shoots have a characteristic golden sheen;
• Tatar - slow-growing undersized mulberry with increased winter hardiness and multi-lobed small leaves.

Fruit varieties of white mulberry:

• White honey - a tall tree, white fruits, up to 3 cm long;
• Smuglyanka - the variety is distinguished by high frost resistance, as well as a plentiful harvest, black fruits 3.5 cm long;
• White tenderness - high yielding variety, infructescences have a light color, the length of the fruit is 5 cm;
• Luganochka - a high-yielding variety, cream-colored fruits up to 5.5 cm long;
• Black Baroness - an early ripe variety with sweet fruits, the length of which reaches 3.5 cm. It is highly resistant to low negative temperatures;
• Staromoskovskaya - mulberry with a spherical crown shape and almost black berries;
• Ukrainian-6 is an early ripe high-yielding variety, the fruits of which are black in color from 4 cm or more in length.

The plant was imported from North America. The species is characterized by high drought resistance, cold resistance and low requirements for growing conditions. The height of the red mulberry reaches 10–20 m, the crown is spherical in shape, the bark has a brownish tint. Leaves up to 12 cm long, ovate with a pointed tip, slightly rough to the touch. The underside of the leaf is covered with light felt pubescence. The fruits are dark red (almost black), very juicy, up to 3 cm, taste sweet and sour, outwardly resemble blackberries.

It is extremely rare that red mulberry is represented by monoecious specimens that do not require a pair of the opposite sex for fruiting.

The fruits of the red mulberry are painted in maroon, almost black.

Varieties of red mulberry

Popular varieties of red mulberry are:

• Vladimirskaya is a self-fertile variety, it can be grown in the form of a bush due to the active formation of lateral shoots in the lower part of the trunk. When the central conductor is cut, it grows in the form of a weeping form;
• Felt - a decorative form, the leaves of which are covered with strong felt pubescence on the underside.

Planting mulberries

Like any other fruit crop, mulberry can be planted in spring (in April) before the plant leaves its dormant state or in autumn (in September - October) before the start of frost.

Requirements for the planting site of mulberry:

1. Well lit place.
2. Wind protection.
3. Moderately moist soil with a neutral reaction.
4. The depth of groundwater is at least 1.5 m.

landing pit for young tree prepared at least 2 weeks before the expected planting date. Average dimensions: 0.5x0.5x0.5 m. If spring planting is expected, it is recommended to prepare planting pits in the fall, filling them with a fertile mixture.

If it is necessary to fertilize the soil (a mixture of 5–7 kg of rotted manure and 100 g of superphosphate per seedling), the size of the planting pit is increased. Fertilizers at the bottom of the pit are covered with a layer of soil to protect the roots from damage. In heavy soils prone to swamping, it is recommended to pour drainage from broken bricks or crushed stone at the bottom of the pit.

When planting, in order to increase the frost resistance of the mulberry tree, it is recommended to slightly deepen the root collar into the ground.

Before planting, a support is dug into the hole so that the plant can be tied up. After 2 weeks, the seedling is placed in a hole, carefully distributing the roots over the entire area of ​​​​the seat. Gradually falling asleep, the young plant is easily shaken so that voids do not form in the soil. After the entire pit is filled up and compacted, a couple of buckets of water are poured into the trunk circle and the soil is mulched to prevent it from drying out.

Culture transplant

On the issue of transplanting mulberries, gardeners disagree: someone says that the plant does not tolerate transplantation, while others, on the contrary, argue that the culture is extremely unpretentious. The timing of the transplant is also controversial.

In any case, it is desirable to replant as young trees as possible. The tree is dug up with a clod of earth, trying to keep most of the large roots. A transplant to a new place is carried out both in the spring before the start of sap flow, and in the fall 2–3 weeks before frost, so that the tree has time to take root.

Video: mulberry transplant

Mulberry breeding methods

The mulberry tree reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively, that is, by lignified or green cuttings, root offspring, grafting, layering.

seed method of reproduction

Harvest berries in the second half of October current year pulp is cleared. Soak for 1–2 hours in a growth stimulant solution (for example, Zircon).

Small mulberry seeds must be thoroughly cleaned of pulp

With the proposed spring planting, the seeds must be stratified within 1–2 months - for this, the seeds are placed in freezer. If for some reason stratification has not been carried out, the seeds must be kept in a day before sowing. ice water, and after the same amount - in water at a temperature of 50ºC.

Sowing seeds:

1. The beds prepared in a sunny place are shed with a fertilizer solution for fruit and berry crops.
2. Seeds are sown to a depth of 3-5 cm.
3. The bed is watered and covered with a layer of mulch. When planting in autumn, the layer of mulch is increased to prevent the seeds from freezing.
4. All care for mulberry seedlings consists in timely watering and top dressing, weeding the ridge from weeds.
5. By autumn, when the shoots are strong enough, they are planted at a distance of 3–5 m or in their permanent places.

On the 5-6th year, the seedlings enter the fruiting period.

Plants grown from seeds most often do not inherit all the characteristics of the mother liquor

One of the disadvantages of seed propagation is that seedlings may not completely or not inherit the traits at all. mother plant, which is why such specimens are most often used as a stock.

Vegetative propagation methods

Reproduction by plant parts has more high efficiency and allows you to save all the signs of the initial plant in the daughter plant.

Reproduction by cuttings

Propagation by cuttings is a laborious process. It requires the creation of a comfortable environment in greenhouses: the installation of fogging installations. In addition, only self-rooted mulberry specimens can be propagated in this way. Mulberry grown from cuttings completely inherits the characteristics of the mother plant.

1. Green cuttings. During the period of intensive growth (June-July), cuttings 15–20 cm long with 2–3 buds are cut. It is recommended to leave 2-3 leaves on the handle, cutting them in half. In a greenhouse with high humidity, cuttings are planted in fertile soil at an angle of 45º, deepening by 3 cm. Landing in open ground is carried out next spring when the seedlings acquire a branched root system and get stronger.
2. Lignified cuttings are cut in the same period as the green ones. The order of their cultivation and planting is also preserved. The main difference from green cuttings is a longer rooting process.

Reproduction offspring

Many plants have the ability to form root shoots if the main trunk is damaged - this process allows the plant to avoid death. A strong root offspring of mulberry will allow you to grow a new specimen to replace the deceased. Excess root offspring can be cut and removed, or, dug out along with the root system and shortened by 1/3, planted as seedlings. Mulberry trees propagated in this way inherit the characteristics of a mother liquor.

Graft

In general, mulberries can be grafted in all available ways, but copulation is considered the simplest and most successful - grafting on a cut with a cutting. The copulation procedure itself is of two types:

Mulberry care

The pledge of a strong plant and bountiful harvest is not only the correct planting or grafting technique, but also proper care.

Watering and fertilizing

Mulberries need to be watered from early spring until July, in especially dry weather, after which watering ends. In a rainy spring, the mulberry tree is not watered, because the culture does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. In the spring, the plant is fed mainly with nitrogen fertilizers, and in the summer - with potash and phosphate fertilizers.

pruning

Mulberry, like any other plant, is cut only during dormancy: full or partial. Pruning is the least painless - in April-early May, until the buds have blossomed and active sap flow has begun. During this period, rejuvenating and shaping pruning is carried out. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the fall, after the end of the growing season, when the air temperature has dropped below -10ºC. Then remove all damaged or diseased branches that need to be burned.

Each type of mulberry has its own characteristics, so pruning must be approached individually. So, in decorative mulberry, it is necessary to constantly maintain a given shape, and in a weeping variety, regularly thin out the crown and shorten the shoots.

Video: mulberry pruning

Pests and diseases of mulberry

Mulberry is quite resistant to various types of diseases and pests, but improper care, pruning, harsh winter can weaken the plant, making it vulnerable.

Prevention of infection

In order to protect the mulberry in the next season from insects and diseases, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatments with fungicides and insecticides of the plant and the soil under it. The procedure is carried out before bud break in the spring (in April) and after the end of the growing season (in October). A 3% solution is applied Bordeaux liquid or Nitrafen. In the spring, you can use a 7% urea solution, which will not only destroy pests that have overwintered in bark cracks and fallen leaves, but also act as nitrogen fertilizer required during this period.

Diseases and control measures

The most common types of diseases are:

• powdery mildew - a disease fungal origin. Outwardly, it appears on the leaves and shoots in the form of a whitish coating. The spread of the disease is facilitated by wet weather and a too dense crown. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to remove fallen leaves and cut out the affected branches in the fall. A sick plant is treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur, Fundazol or Bordeaux liquid;
• brown leaf spot (cylindrosporiosis) - fungal disease, which manifests itself on the leaves in the form of purple-red spots with a lighter border, the affected leaves gradually dry out and fall off. When the first signs appear, the plant is treated with Silit in accordance with the instructions, re-treatment is carried out after 2 weeks. In autumn, it is necessary to collect and destroy all affected leaves;
• bacteriosis manifests itself in the form of irregularly shaped spots on young leaves and shoots of mulberries, which subsequently turn black, curl and fall off. Streaks of gum appear on the deforming shoots. For treatment, the drug Phytoflavin is used, which is not always effective. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatments for mulberries;
• tinder fungus affects only weakened, damaged plants, destroying their wood. The body of the fungus, together with a piece of wood, is cut out and destroyed, and the remaining wound is treated with a 5% solution of copper sulfate, after which the place is smeared with a mixture of clay, lime and mullein (1: 1: 2). As a preventive measure, it is recommended to treat and cover up damage to the trunk in a timely manner.

Photo gallery: mulberry diseases

Mulberry pests

The most common insects are:

• white American butterfly - the greatest harm is caused by caterpillars of greenish-brown color with black spots and yellow stripes along the body. Insects quickly eat leaves, and also form spider nests that must be cut and burned. It is recommended to treat the crown with Chlorophos, and install trapping belts on the trunk;
• mulberry moth - pest caterpillars populate the crown during the period of bud swelling, subsequently feed on leaves. In the spring, it is required to treat plants with Chlorophos as a preventive measure;
• spider mite- a small insect, the main sign of settlement of which is the thinnest web that entangles the shoots. The tick feeds on the cell sap of the leaves, which gradually dry out, darken and fall off. As a pest control measure, acaricidal preparations are used (for example, Kleschevit, Aktellik);
A thin web on a plant is a sign of the appearance of a spider mite. The life activity of a comstock worm leads to deformation and leaf fall

Features of growing mulberry in the regions

Mulberries can be grown everywhere, but in cold regions special attention should be paid to them, especially in preparation for winter.

1. In outskirts of Moscow. In the Moscow region, the culture has taken root due to its frost resistance - mulberry can withstand temperatures as low as -30ºC. However, in a snowless winter, the mulberry tree can die already at a temperature of -7ºС. Due to insufficient duration daylight hours mulberry in the Moscow region has two growing seasons: spring and autumn. Here, one of the survival tools of the plant is the ability to form cork tissue between the mature and unripe part of the shoot. Therefore, in the fall, in addition to leaf fall, near Moscow mulberry, you can notice the reset of shoots.
2. In Siberia. Experienced gardeners V. Shalamova and G. Kazanin argue in their writings that it is possible to grow mulberries in the harsh conditions of Siberia. However, increasing the frost resistance of the southern culture is a long and laborious process.
3. In Ukraine. Here you can often find, in addition to white and black mulberries, red, satin and multi-stemmed mulberries. Mulberry is planted in Ukraine both in spring and in autumn - the culture shows excellent survival rate in local conditions.
4. In Belarus. Mulberry actively grows in the conditions of Belarus: both in the south of the Brest region and in more northern regions.

The genus includes 10-16 species of deciduous trees distributed in the warm temperate and subtropical zones of Asia, Africa and North America. Mulberry also grows in the territories of Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South Kazakhstan, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova.

Among the people, you can sometimes find mulberry under other names - here, mulberry, mulberry, mulberry tree, tutina, tutina.

Mulberry in youth is a fast-growing tree, but gradually slows down its growth and rarely grows over 10-15 m. The leaves are alternate, simple, often lobed, especially on young shoots, serrated at the edges. The fruit is complex, consisting of drupes, fleshy from an overgrown perianth, 2-3 cm long, from red to dark purple, edible - in some species it is sweet and has a pleasant smell. Mulberry lives up to 200 years, less often up to 300-500.

It has an edible fruit, which is used to make fillings for pies, make wines, mulberry vodka and soft drinks. Berries of red mulberry (native to North America) and black mulberry (native to southwest Asia) have a pleasant aroma. White mulberries (originally from East Asia) have a different smell, often described as "tasteless". The ripe fruit contains a large number of resveratrol, which is a powerful plant antioxidant.

Two species - white mulberry (Morus alba) and black mulberry (Morus nigra) - are widely cultivated, including in the south of Russia.

In Jericho, a mulberry tree grows, under which, according to legend, Jesus Christ was looking for shadows. She is over 2000 years old.

Mulberry species

The classification of mulberries is complex and ambiguous. In total, descriptions of over 150 species of this plant have been published, but only 10-16 species are considered valid, according to various classifications. The classification is also often complicated by the large number of hybrids.

These types are generally recognized:

This type of mulberry comes from Southwest Asia, where it has been cultivated since ancient times for its edible fruits and has spread widely to the west and east. It is most widely distributed in Iran, Afghanistan, North India, where it is often used to make jams and sorbets.

Black mulberry- deciduous tree 10-13 m high with leaves 10-20 cm long and 6-10 cm wide, covered with fluff below. The fruit is a dark purple, almost black, polydrupe, 2-3 cm long. It is edible and has a sweet taste. Flowering time - May - June, "fruits" ripen in July - August.

Mature "fruits" of black mulberry contain up to 25% sugars (mainly glucose and fructose), organic acids, tannic, pectin, coloring and other substances, carotene, vitamins B1, B2, PP, rubber. The "fruits" of black mulberry have a high iron content - up to 6.5%.

In areas of cultural plantings, mulberry is the basis of industrial sericulture. Along the way, the bast of a tree has long been used - for the production of fabrics, ropes, paper, paints. The "fruits" of mulberries are consumed fresh and dried, they are used to prepare syrups, jams, vinegar, bekmes ( artificial honey). Dried "fruits" withstand long-term storage and completely replace sugar.

Medicinal properties have seed and juice from them, leaves, bark of branches and roots. "Fruits" (in equal measure and water infusion) - a good anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, expectorant, "blood-purifying", diaphoretic, diuretic, astringent (especially immature "fruits") remedy. Despite the high percentage of sugar, ripe black mulberry fruits quench thirst well.

An infusion of mulberry leaves is prescribed as a tonic and antipyretic, as well as for beriberi, diabetes, a decoction of the bark - for heart diseases. The crushed bark (mixed with vegetable oil) is applied as an ointment on old wounds and bruises, and the infusion of the “fruits” and the juice diluted with water is an excellent external remedy (gargle) for diseases of the throat and oral cavity.

It comes from the eastern regions of China, where it has been cultivated for about four thousand years as food for the silkworm. From China, the mulberry spread to Central Asia, Afghanistan, North India, Pakistan, Iran, and somewhat later - to the Transcaucasus. Approximately in the VI century. appeared in Georgia, has been known in Europe since the 12th century, in America - not earlier than the 16th century. In the 17th century bred in Moscow, but the climate was too harsh for her, and the cultivation of mulberry moved to the Lower Volga region and the North Caucasus.

At present, it is extensively planted everywhere and widely naturalized from India, Afghanistan and Iran to Spain and Portugal. In the European part of Russia, its culture is possible up to the Volgograd line, to the north there is a danger of freezing. In the North Caucasus, mulberry often runs wild and is found in riverine forests.

white mulberry grows in the form of a tree, up to 15-18 m high with a sprawling spherical crown. The trunk and large branches are covered with grayish-brown bark. The leaves are broadly ovate, unequal at the base, petiolate, serrated along the edge, palmate-toothed, 5-15 cm long. They are located on shoots of two types: elongated vegetative and shortened fruitful. The flowers are unisexual, collected in inflorescences: staminate - in drooping cylindrical spikes, pistillate - in short oval on very short peduncles. The axis of the inflorescence expands during fruiting, forming seedlings from numerous nuts enclosed in overgrown fleshy and juicy pericarp. Blossoms in April-May, fruits ripen in May-June. Seed fruit - polydrupes, up to 4 cm long, cylindrical, white or painted in pink or red. The taste is sickeningly sweet. They are edible in fresh(white, soft and lightly shaken branches fall to the ground), can be dried and fermented into wine. The taste is inferior to black mulberry in saturation.

Unlike black mulberry, white mulberry does not spoil clothes.

Tannins (3.2-3.7%), flavonoids (up to 1%), coumarins, organic acids, resins, essential oil (0.03-0.04), sterols (sitosterol, capesterol) were found in the leaves of white mulberry . Rutin, hyperoside, and quercetin were isolated from the sum of flavonoids, and osthol was isolated from coumarins.

The fruits contain up to 12% sugars (sometimes up to 23%), represented mainly by monosaccharides, about 1.5% nitrogenous substances, 0.1% phosphoric acid, flavonoids, carotene, pectin, organic acids (malic, citric), a little vitamin C and tannins.

White mulberry in folk medicine:

- The bark of the trunks and roots - in the form of an aqueous decoction is used for coughs, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, as an expectorant, diuretic, as well as for epilepsy and hypertension.
- Juice of the bark of the roots - drink on an empty stomach as an antihelminthic.
- Leaves - in the form of an infusion as an antipyretic for colds.
- Fresh leaf juice - soothes toothache.
- Fresh fruits - gastric and duodenal ulcers.
- Syrup (doshab), boiled from fruits in Azerbaijan, is used for cardiovascular diseases, anemia, as a hemostatic agent for postpartum, uterine bleeding, urticaria and scarlet fever.

White mulberry leaves are the preferred food for silkworms and can be used to feed cattle and goats.

Mulberry wood goes to household crafts, musical instruments, dishes, various souvenirs.

It comes from eastern North America. There it grows from Ontario and Vermont to Florida, Texas and South Dakota.

Red mulberry is a tree 10-15 m high with heart-shaped leaves 7-14 cm long and 6-12 cm wide. The fruit is a dark purple polydrupe 2-3 cm long, resembling a blackberry in appearance. It is edible and has a sweet taste.

Small-leaved mulberry (Morus microphylla). Homeland - the south of North America: Texas, Mexico. It looks like red mulberry, but its leaves and fruits are smaller.

Mulberry is propagated by seeds, cuttings, parts of roots and layering.

Reproduction by seeds. Seeds are usually harvested when the berries have acquired an intense color for the variety. Then they are stored until spring sowing.

To grow seedlings, they are sown in warm ground in late April - early May. A very even bed is prepared for them, and on it, after 40 cm, ridges 10 cm high are raised. These ridges are compacted from all sides. Seeds are sown in grooves at the tops of the ridge to a depth of 1 cm. It is best to close them up with humus, sawdust or structural earth.

In order for the seedlings to be strong and grow well, water for irrigation must be prepared with special solutions. For the first time, it would be good to pour the seeds with a solution of Chinese magnolia vine, tree-like and pinnate in a ratio of 1: 2 (0.5 l per 10 l of water). Then water daily with plain water so that it nourishes the soil until sprouts appear and leaves form. After a month, the seedlings again need to be watered with a solution so that the root system becomes thicker.

Already 2-year-old seedlings are planted on the place intended for mulberry. Mulberry begins to bear fruit in the 5th - 6th year. And every year the harvest is getting richer.

Mulberry is vegetatively propagated by layering, root shoots, cuttings with green and lignified cuttings, as well as grafting. By grafting, as a rule, the best varieties and decorative forms are propagated. It is effective to propagate mulberries with green cuttings. With this method, the rooting of cuttings is 80-90% even without the use of growth regulators. When propagated by lignified cuttings, the results are much worse. When propagating mulberry using grafting, white mulberry seedlings are used as rootstocks. You can graft by all methods known in horticulture. For planting mulberry seedlings, a well-lit place protected from cold winds is selected, preferably on the south side of the site. The distance to other plants is 5-6 m. Before planting seedlings, planting pits are dug 80 × 80x60 cm in size. The pits are covered with soil from the upper fertile layer. 2-3 buckets of humus or compost, 60-80 g of superphosphate and 40-50 g of potassium salt or 150 g of complex fertilizer are added to each pit. In the pit, fertilizers are thoroughly mixed with the soil. In the conditions of Ukraine, it is possible to plant both in spring (April) and in early autumn (September - early October).

If mulberries are planted specifically for harvesting, then it is advisable to take a seedling from the nursery that has already been fruiting, so as not to take male specimens, which, naturally, will not bear fruit. The soil on the trunk circles is kept in a loose and weed-free state. When the plants begin to bear fruit, it is advisable to regularly feed them with fertilizers. Usually, during the growing season, one feeding is enough in the phase of bud break, while per 1 sq. m contribute 30-50 g of nitrophoska. If necessary, feeding is repeated in the first half of June. Simultaneously with irrigation, fermented slurry diluted with water 5-6 times, or bird droppings, which are diluted 10-12 times, are introduced. In the second half of summer, top dressing is not carried out in order to timely end the growth of shoots and better prepare them for winter.

On the backyard or suburban area Mulberries are best grown in bushy form. The height of trees is limited to 3 m. In fruit-bearing trees, the main type of pruning is thinning. Cut out branches thickening the crown, crossing, diseased, weak, broken, trying to keep the crown within a given height and width.

Damaged

— American ifantria (Ifantria americana)- a butterfly that gnaws at the leaves (leaving only the "skeleton" - the veins), which ultimately leads to the complete deleafing of the plant. Against it, they are treated with organophosphate insecticides;

Mulberry is an extremely useful plant.

The fruits of mulberry contain vitamins:, B2,, PP, carotene, organic acids (malic and citric), essential oils, almost 27% of higher fatty acids, up to 63% of lipids. Valuable fruit content of carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose) and iron salts.

Fresh fruits are useful for anemia, they contribute to the restoration of impaired metabolism in the body. In scientific medicine, they are used for hypochromic anemia, which is associated with gastritis with low acidity of gastric juice. Mulberry is very useful for gastrointestinal diseases (enterocolitis, dysentery, dysbacteriosis) and diseases of the biliary tract.

Medicine has experience in treating patients with myocardiostrophy and heart disease with a large number of fresh mulberry fruits. After the course of treatment, the pain subsided in patients, the work of the heart improved, shortness of breath decreased, and working capacity was restored.

Juice and infusion (or compote) of fresh fruit is used as an expectorant and diuretic.

Juice is an effective remedy for the treatment of ulcerative lesions of the mouth and throat. For rinsing, use juice diluted with water, or an infusion of fresh fruits.

Infusion of mulberry leaves in folk medicine is used for hypertension, inflammation and cough.

In Chinese folk medicine, a decoction of the roots is used for kidney failure and sexual impotence. In mild forms of diabetes, it is useful to sprinkle dishes with mulberry leaf powder before meals.

Mulberry leaves, especially white mulberry, are the main source of food for silkworm larvae, the pupa of which is used to produce silk. In addition to the silkworm, larvae of the tailed green moth (Hemithea aestivaria), linden hawk moth (Mimas tiliae) and maple lancet (Acronicta aceris) also feed on mulberry leaves.

Mulberry wood is highly valued. In Central Asia, it is used to make musical instruments. It is used as a building and ornamental material in carpentry and cooperage due to its qualities - dense, elastic, heavy.

- A decoction of branches reduces blood pressure, relieves rheumatoid pain. To do this, they, along with the leaves, should be chopped with a hatchet and steamed in a large saucepan (or better in cast iron) in the oven or Russian oven 2-3 hours. Pour the contents of the pan into a bucket and soar your feet in it. Then put warm leaves over the knees, feet, wrap them with linen cloth and wrap them with a woolen scarf on top. Do the procedure before bed.

- Against high "sugar". Brew 2 tbsp. spoons of mulberry leaves in 1 tbsp. boiling water overnight in a thermos (daily rate). Drink 10 days.

- A decoction of the leaves is drunk for colds and chills 3-4 times a day, 100 g each, adding mint leaves to it. The effect is not worse than after raspberry leaf tea.

- Berry juice cleanses the blood, dissolves tumors in the throat, larynx, in the sky. Gargling with juice relieves rashes and mouth ulcers.

- Mulberry roots make a good expectorant, thinning thick, viscous sputum.

Mulberry: contraindications

Mulberry should be used with caution in hypertension, as in hot weather it can cause an increase blood pressure. A lot of mulberries should not be eaten by patients with diabetes.

Taking too many ripe mulberries can cause diarrhea.

Mulberry storage

Mulberry fruits are difficult to keep fresh for a long time. They can lie down in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, and then they need to be urgently recycled.
Mulberry is used to make jam, compote, it is cooked in sugar syrup, and in Armenia, for example, an extract (bekmes) is made from white mulberry. Mulberry is good as a filling for pies.

• Mulberry compote

For the preparation of compote, large-fruited cultivars of white or black mulberries with great content Sahara.

Fresh healthy berries are sorted, impurities are removed, half of the stem is cut with scissors. Rinse thoroughly with a psi shower until the dirt is completely removed. Let the water drain.

The prepared mulberries are tightly packed in jars and poured with sugar syrup: white mulberries - 20-30% concentration, red - 40-45% concentration.

Filled jars with a capacity of 0.5 l are placed in a sterilization bath with an initial temperature of 40-50°C, pasteurized at 85-90°C for 20 minutes or sterilized at 100°C for 10 minutes.

On a jar of 0.5 liters they spend: fruits - 300 g, syrup - 200 g.

• Mulberry jam

First way. Ripe large and medium-sized mulberries are sorted out, defective leaves and other impurities are removed, washed in the shower or immersed in a colander in a basin of water. The stalks are partially cut with scissors, leaving 0.1-0.2 cm.

Sugar syrup is prepared at the rate of: for 1 kg of berries 1.5 kg of sugar for black, 1.2 kg for white varieties and 1.5-2 cups of water. Berries are poured with hot syrup, brought to a boil and boiled over low heat for 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat, after 5-6 hours bring to a boil for the second time and cook for 5-6 minutes. After 5-6 hours, cook on low heat until tender. Before the end of cooking add 3 g of citric acid per 1 kg of jam.

The finished jam is hot packed in jars and corked.

The same jam is produced with pasteurization. Filled jars are pasteurized at 90-95°C: jars with a capacity of 0.5 l - 8-10 minutes, 1 l - 15 minutes.

The second way. Fruits are poured with syrup and incubated for 3-4 hours. Throw on a sieve or colander, and boil the syrup to a boiling point of 104-105°C. The discarded fruits are lowered into the finished syrup and boiled over high heat until tender.

The third way. Send mulberry with sugar and, after 6-8 hours, boil over low heat for 5-8 minutes. After that, leave again for 5-6 hours, and then boil again for 5-10 minutes. This is done until the jam is ready.

With all cooking methods, at the end, 2-3 g of citric acid per 1 kg of mulberry must be added to the jam.

• White mulberry extract (bekmes)

White mulberries of large-fruited cultivars are sorted, leaves, dried and underdeveloped fruits are removed, washed in the shower, transferred to a canvas bag and pressed. You can get juice in another way: 1 liter of water is added to 10 kg of mulberry, brought to a boil and pressed on grape presses in a canvas bag under load.

The resulting juice is filtered and boiled over low heat until its volume is reduced by 3-3.5 times. When boiling, the juice should be stirred periodically and remove the foam from it, avoiding burning. Readiness is easy to determine by the foam: if foaming goes to the center of the dish and large bubbles, then the bekmes is ready.

Ready bekmes has a light brown color and taste of sweet ripe mulberries. Packed cold and without sealing.

Use bekmes with butter mixed with finely crushed walnuts or simply with bread.

• Mulberry in sugar syrup

For such canned food, you can take fruits of any color or a mixture of varieties of different colors.

Ripe fruits are washed with cold water, allowed to drain, and then laid out in one layer on an oilcloth for drying. During the drying process, the fruits are periodically mixed to dry the entire surface.

Dried mulberries are passed through a meat grinder. Cook sugar syrup at the rate of 1.2 kg of sugar and 300 g of water per 1 kg of fruit.

The crushed mulberries are poured with boiling sugar syrup, the mixture is well stirred and hot packaged in sterilized hot jars, filling them to the top.

Filled jars are covered with pre-prepared mugs of parchment paper soaked in alcohol. (The diameter of the circles should be equal to the outer diameter of the can.) On top of the paper circles, the cans are covered with metal lids and corked. Closed banks keep to cool at room temperature, then place in a cool place.

Mulberry Composition

In 100 gr. mulberry contains:

Water - 85 g
Proteins - 1.44 g
Fats - 0.4 g - 0.05 mg

Calorie content of mulberries

100 g of mulberry contains on average about 43 kcal.

Interesting information about mulberry

— There is a beautiful legend about how mulberry was used to make silk. Princess Xi Ling Shi rested under a huge mulberry tree. Suddenly, a cocoon fell from a branch into a cup of tea. The princess saw hot water the cocoon blooms with shiny, iridescent threads. So the Celestial Empire received one of its main secrets: that a nondescript silkworm living on a mulberry tree is a source of material from which precious silk can be made.

- Mulberry (mulberry) played its role in the development of world culture. As you know, paper appeared in China before our era. And it was the mulberry bast, which is located under the bark of the tree, that the Chinese used to make paper.

- The population of the mountainous and foothill regions of Central Asia for thousands of years has been selecting the best forms of mulberry from high quality fertility and good yield. Thus, the Balkh mulberry variety, which has come down to us from Asht and Kanibadam, produces 500-600 kilograms of berries per tree.

- In Tajikistan, a tradition has been observed for centuries: each family annually harvested half a ton of dried mulberry seedlings.

- It is believed that in Ukraine the oldest mulberry grows on the territory of the National Botanical Garden. Grishko. She is about 500 years old. According to legend, it was planted by monks from seeds brought from a pilgrimage to Central Asia. And what, it was from this tree that all the mulberries growing in Ukraine went. According to unconfirmed reports, Taras Shevchenko made several sketches of this mulberry tree.

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Tags: mulberry, morus, black mulberry, mulberry medicinal properties, mulberry jam, white mulberry, mulberry reproduction, mulberry reproduction, benefits of mulberry, mulberry tree, mulberry, mulberry in cooking, mulberry in folk medicine, recipes with mulberry

Mulberry is a heat-loving plant, therefore it is relatively rare in the gardens of Russian gardeners. But its berries are not only wonderfully tasty, but also very healthy. Also, the culture is valued for the abundance of fruiting and the duration of the productive period. A tree cannot be called capricious and demanding in care - even a not very experienced gardener can perform the necessary agrotechnical procedures.

What does mulberry look like

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

Mulberry in nature reaches a considerable height and forms a wide crown

mature tree reaches 10–30 meters in height. The young seedling grows rapidly, then the growth rate slows down. Mulberry leaves are of different sizes, can be either simple or cut in the form of "blades", 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. Specimens are known that are more than one thousand years old.

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

The fruit of the mulberry is formed from a growing bract. Its average length is 2–4 cm. It consists of many fused rounded drupes. They are not 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 edible mulberries 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 linked to each other.

Fresh berries do not last long. Even in the refrigerator, they will lie for a maximum of 2-3 days. Fruits also do not tolerate transportation, even for a short distance. 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 planting the tree in the ground. In addition to fresh consumption, mulberries are frozen, used as a filling for baking, cooked compotes, jams, preserves.

Mulberry jam is very tasty, especially if the fruits are not cloyingly sweet, but sour.

The benefits and harms of fruits

Mulberries are extremely beneficial for health. They contain high concentrations of vitamins B, C, PP, as well as carotenoids, malic and citric acid, unsaturated fatty acid, essential oils, iron. Mulberry is widely used in folk medicine. Its berries are an effective remedy for 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 mulberries have a positive effect on the work of the heart in hypertension, tachycardia, shortness of breath.

You should not abuse mulberry. With excessive consumption, it can cause a sharp jump in blood pressure (especially in the heat), contributes to an increase in blood sugar levels. It is also possible to upset the stomach and intestines. Saturated color peel and juice turns mulberries into 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, 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 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 no younger than 3 years old

Varieties and varieties popular with gardeners

In most "natural" types of mulberries, the fruits are almost tasteless. In gardens, most often grown are those whose berries have a pronounced taste - from sour to sugary-sweet. Breeders have bred many varieties of decorative mulberries.

white mulberry

The most common in Russia, it is characterized by high frost resistance (-30ºС and more). On its basis, domestic breeders have bred many new varieties and hybrids. The leaves are about 15 cm long, smooth, heart-shaped. AT 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, surviving and bearing fruit even in cities. Blossoms in the last decade of May, the crop 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 mulberry species, the white one is the sweetest.

The following varieties are most popular with gardeners:

• White honey. Hybrid of Russian selection. A tree 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. Productivity is consistently high - up to 200 kg from an adult tree. Frost tolerates easily, quickly recovers from damage;
• White tenderness. Valued for frost resistance down to -40ºС and abundant fruiting. The berries are snow-white, elongated, 3–4 cm long. If the summer is successful in terms of weather, the fruits ripen very sweet, but in damp and rainy weather the taste practically disappears. The first berries ripen in mid-June, fruiting lasts 6-8 weeks;
• Pink Smolenskaya. One of the new selections. Fruiting begins in early June. Harvest even 2-3-year-old trees. leaves unusual decorative form. 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. Frost resistance - up to -35ºС;
• Fruit-1. A variety from the category of early, the harvest ripens in June. Fruiting stretches for 4-6 weeks. The drupes are white, but if spring and early summer are rainy, the skin takes on a pastel pink hue. The average length of the fruit is 2.5–3 cm. The yield is up to 150 kg from an adult tree. The fruits are sweet, juicy, but the pulp is quite dense. Of all the varieties of mulberry, this one best tolerates transportation and is stored for the longest time;
• 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. Harvest ripens in early July, fruiting stretches for about a month. Drupes are cream or pinkish, 3.5–4 cm long. The berries are very sweet. Overripe fruits quickly crumble;
• Black Baroness. Harvest ripens in the second decade of July. Valued for 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 no more than 12 hours;
• Darkie. Self-fertile hybrid, does not need pollinating varieties. The tree is tall, 15 m or more. The crown is wide, spreading. Berries 3–4 cm long, sweet and sour in taste. 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 landscaping, 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 has ripe fruits painted in a rare snow-white color, not found in nature. Mulberry Pink Smolenskaya is one of the recent achievements Russian breeders Mulberry Plodovaya-1 ripens in June Mulberry Ukrainian-107 gives very tasty berries, but there are few of them on the tree Mulberry Merezhevo is practically not stored Mulberry Black Baroness is characterized by undemanding care and frost resistance Mulberry Smuglyanka is a self-fertile hybrid, she does not need a “male” pollinator plant Mulberry Ukrainian-6 is mainly used as feed for the 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, sprawling, the shoots are slightly bowed. The bark is rough, dark brown. The leaves are large, up to 20 cm long. The underside is pubescent with a 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 frosts with difficulty. Therefore, in Russia it can be grown only in the south, in a warm subtropical climate (Crimea, the Caucasus, the Black Sea). From countries former USSR culture took root in Ukraine, in Moldova. But even in such conditions, it is recommended to play it safe and build a winter shelter for the plant.

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

• Fruit-4. The tree is low, 3–5 m, the crown is compact, spherical. The drupes are elongated, 4–4.5 cm long. The pulp is juicy, the taste is pleasant, refreshing. The yield is very high - 250 kg per tree or more, fruiting is annual. Frost resistance at the level of -25ºС. This variety is most popular among those who grow mulberries on an industrial scale. Due to the dense pulp, the berries tolerate transportation well;
• Istanbul. One of the most large-fruited varieties, the length of the drupe is 5–5.5 cm. The skin is dark purple, the flesh is juicy, sweet. Frost resistance - about -25ºС. Productivity is consistently high, fruiting is annual. The variety belongs to the late, the crop ripens in the first decade of August. The fruits are removed 4 years after planting the seedling in the ground;
• Shelly-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 stone fruit is 5-6 cm. The skin is black, glossy shiny. The taste is sweet, but not cloying;
• Galicia-1. The hybrid is distributed mainly in Ukraine. The drupes are very large, 6.5–8 cm long. The skin is purple-red, the taste is sweet, with a slight refreshing sourness. The yield is not too high - 35–50 kg;
• Black Prince. The variety is valued for unpretentious care and resistance to adverse environmental factors (heat, drought, frost). The average length of a 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, it tastes strongly like dessert fortified wine. The variety is self-fertile, bears fruit regularly and abundantly. It brings the first fruits 3 years after planting;
• Hope. The average height of the tree is 8–10 m. The berries are very dark purple, appearing black from a distance. The drupes are large, about 5 cm long, the pulp is sweet and sour. Ripe fruits hold well on the tree. Harvested in early July. An adult tree annually produces more than 100 kg of fruit.

Photo gallery: varieties of black mulberry

Berries of a mulberry Istanbul - presentable and tasty Mulberry Shelly-150 - one of the most popular varieties in the world Mulberry Galicia-1 is distinguished by the size of the fruit Mulberry Black Prince - one of the new varieties, devoid of significant shortcomings Mulberry Hartut is held in high esteem by amateur winemakers Mulberry Nadezhda has a good yield and frost resistance

This species is native to North America. The average height of a 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 in the form of "blades", then the shape is gradually smoothed out.

The fruits are sweet and sour, dark scarlet. The taste of red mulberry is extremely similar to blackberries. The plant is characterized by undemanding and endurance, is dioecious. Valued for high frost resistance.

Red mulberry is almost never found in Russia and the countries of the former USSR

Mulberry decorative

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 tree height is 3–4 m. The branches are thin, drooping. The leaves are small;
• large-leaved. The leaves are heart-shaped, salad-colored, on long petioles. The average length is 22–25 cm. The variety is thermophilic, quite rare;
• Spherical. The crown, even without forming pruning, turns into an almost regular ball. Tree height - 2–3 m;
• Pyramidal. The crown resembles a tall and narrow pyramid. The leaves are small;
• Tatar. Rather not a tree, but a shrub or shrub. It does not differ in growth rate, reaches a height of 2–2.5 m. The leaves are small. Winter hardiness is very high;
• Golden. Young shoots are really golden in color, as they grow older, it changes to brownish. The average height of the tree is 2–3 m. The newly opened leaves also have a pale golden hue;
• Red felt. Natural "mutation" of red mulberry. Front side the young leaf casts red, the underside is whitish. The fruits are edible, purple-scarlet in color, but few;
• narrow-leaved. Most often grown as a shrub. The leaves are small, rough to the touch, strongly elongated and deeply dissected.

Photo gallery: decorative varieties and hybrids of mulberry

Weeping mulberry looks impressive, but you can’t expect a big harvest from such a tree. Large-leaved mulberry is thermophilic, therefore it is practically not found in Russia Mulberry spherical forms a neat crown with little or no participation of the gardener The pyramidal mulberry has small, often arranged leaves. Tatar mulberry - decorative, but at the same time frost-resistant variety Golden mulberry looks very impressive The fruits of the red felt mulberry are edible. Mulberry narrow-leaved stands out with an unusual shape of leaves

Landing procedure and preparation for it

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

Location selection

Like most other plants, mulberry loves 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 northwest winds.

The best soil option is light fertile sandy loam or loam. And by planting mulberries 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 towards heavy soil, but this problem can be dealt with by building a mound about 0.5 m high or by creating a drainage layer 10–15 cm thick at the bottom of the planting pit. Mulberry can grow even in a swampy and highly saline substrate, but on abundant productivity in this case should not be calculated. It is also undesirable for groundwater to be located closer than 1–1.5 m from the soil surface. This can lead to the development of root rot.

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

Mulberry is a dimensional plant, this must be taken into account when choosing a place for it on a garden plot.

Landing dates

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

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

Pit preparation

A planting hole about 70 cm deep and about the same diameter is filled with a mixture of fertile turf with humus or rotted compost by a third. 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 (Nitrophoska, Azofoska). This mixture is sprinkled 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 autumn, and if for 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 planting hole for mulberries, it is desirable to create a layer of drainage so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots.

Landing

The disembarkation procedure itself has no special features. The only caveat is that you do not 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 them, they are quite fragile. The most important thing in the process is not to deepen the root neck. 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 mulberry, even a novice gardener can handle the procedure.

Video: how to transplant mulberries

The nuances of caring for culture

Care comes down to maintaining the near-trunk circle in proper condition, periodic watering and top dressing several times per season. The most difficult thing for an inexperienced gardener is the procedure for pruning a tree.

Watering

In frequent and abundant watering this culture does not need. The tree is recommended to be watered 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 do not advise watering the tree in the second half of summer, thus preparing it for the upcoming winter period of rest 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 the age of 5 years. Then the mulberry forms a developed root system and can provide itself with moisture on its own, pulling it from the depths of the soil.

With a lack of moisture on young plants, the fruits become smaller, and annual shoots can freeze out in winter without having time to ripen.

Fertilization

If a landing pit was prepared in accordance with all the recommendations available nutrients mulberry is enough 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 top dressings per season are enough.

1. Immediately before the leaf buds bloom, 45–50 g of any complex fertilizer (Nitrophoska, Diammofoska, Azofoska) is added to the near-stem circle. It is scattered on the surface of the soil in a dry form or a solution is prepared by diluting the indicated 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 near-stem circle.
2. 2-3 weeks before fruit ripening, mulberries are watered with diluted water infusion of fresh manure, bird droppings or nettle leaves, dandelion (proportion 1:15 for litter and 1:8 for everything else).
   

   If the condition of the tree is not too good, it grows slowly; in early September, the soil in the trunk circle is sprinkled with sifted wood ash(0.5 l).

Nettle infusion - natural fertilizer for mulberries

pruning

Since mulberry in nature reaches significant dimensions, pruning for it is a mandatory procedure. The plant tolerates it easily, recovering quickly, even if the gardener “overdid it” 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 mulberry not as a tree, but as a shrub or semi-shrub no more than 3 m high. To do this, in a plant that has reached a height of 1.5 m, cut off most of the shoots, leaving -10 most powerful and developed. This will be the main "skeleton" of the design. Then, every year, 2–3 of the oldest branches are cut to the point of growth, replacing them 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 on a finished look.

Only sharply sharpened and disinfected tools are used to trim mulberry

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, cutting off the central shoot 25–30 cm above the last side shoot. side shoots(with the exception of the three or four most powerful ones) are cut to the point of growth. The rest 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 - of the third order. The total height of the tree is recommended to be limited 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.

After the tree begins to bear fruit, the main attention should be paid to sanitary pruning. It is carried out twice a year - in the spring until the "awakening" of growth buds and in the fall, after the end of leaf fall. The air temperature in both cases should be above 0ºС. It is imperative to get rid of broken, dried, frozen, affected by diseases and pests of shoots. Also, deformed, weak and poorly located branches are cut to the point of growth: thickening the crown, growing down, sharply 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 removed completely, replacing them with younger ones.

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

Harvesting

The fruiting period of the mulberry is extended, often the berries ripen within 1.5–2 months. Due to such uneven ripening, both completely green and blue-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. Then the tree should be vigorously shaken several times.

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

Preparing for winter

Most varieties of mulberry, popular with gardeners, tolerate frosts down to -30ºС 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 -7-10ºС. Therefore, it is desirable to build a shelter for the winter not only in regions with a temperate climate, but also in the subtropics.

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

The mulch will help protect the mulberry roots from freezing if there isn't 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 crop, it has two growing seasons. In autumn, the mulberry independently forms a layer of cork-like tissue between the mature and immature part of the shoot, thus getting rid of wood that will definitely not endure the cold.

Reproduction methods

Mulberry reproduces quite easily both vegetatively and generatively. The latter is used less frequently, since it is more laborious, takes more time and does not guarantee the preservation of the varietal characteristics of the "parent".

seed germination

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

Mulberry seeds must be thoroughly de-fleshed and dried to avoid development of rot during storage.

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

Video: seed mulberry

cuttings

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

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

Cuttings - the easiest and fastest way to 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. The cuttings planted in open ground are covered with glass caps, cut plastic bottles. Be sure to maintain very high humidity, but make sure that rot does not appear.

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

Graft

This method is used to propagate the most valuable and decorative mulberry varieties. The most commonly used rootstock is white mulberry. This is due to its unpretentiousness in care and frost resistance.

The easiest way to graft is copulation. 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 a special grafting tape. If the procedure is successful (new leaves begin to form on the scion), the strapping can be removed. A prerequisite is that the scion and stock should be approximately the same thickness.

When copulating, the scion and rootstock should approximately match in diameter.

Budding requires the gardener to have some experience. Here, not a whole branch is used as a scion, but one growth bud, cut together with a “shield” from the tissues surrounding it, no more than 2–3 mm thick. This "shield" is inserted into an X- or T-shaped incision on the bark of the rootstock. 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 side shoots.

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

Diseases, pests and their control

Mulberry has a 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 the culture:

• powdery mildew. Leaves, shoots, fruits are covered with a grayish-white "fuzzy" coating. 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, mulberry and soil in the near-stem circle are powdered with crushed chalk, sifted with 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;
• cylindrosporiosis. The leaves are covered with multiple clearly 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 a 1% solution of Silit. 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 the minimally affected parts of the plant and treating it with Fitolavin, Gamair;
• leaf curl. The surface of the sheet wrinkles, "nodules" appear on it. The leaf plate shrinks, deforms. Cure it with modern means viral disease impossible. Particular attention should be paid to prevention, primarily the fight against carriers of the pathogen (aphids, thrips, spider mites);
• tinder mushroom. The spores of the fungus penetrate the tissues through mechanical damage in the bark. Growths appear on the shoots, destroying the wood. They need to be cut with a sharp sterile knife, rinse the wound with 5% copper sulphate and cover it with garden pitch or a mixture of fluff lime, cow dung and powdered clay. You can also cover the cut with several layers of oil paint.

Photo gallery: symptoms of common mulberry diseases

The most common pests:

• ifantria americana (white american butterfly). The larvae of this butterfly are able to completely eat the leaves in a matter of days, leaving only veins. For prevention, unblown leaf buds and the soil in the trunk circle are sprayed with Nitrafen or Karbofos. To scare away adults from the plant, use Chlorophos, Phosphamide, Antio, Saiphos. One treatment every 3-4 weeks is enough;
• mealybug. A whitish coating appears on leaves, shoots, buds, fruits, resembling scattered flour. Affected parts of the plant turn yellow, dry and fall off. For prevention, mulberries are sprayed with an infusion of onions, garlic, and any sharp-smelling herbs about once a week. To cope with the pest, 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 braided with thin threads, similar to cobwebs. Affected parts of the plant become discolored, deformed and dry. For prevention, mulberries are sprayed weekly with an infusion of onion or garlic gruel, a decoction of cyclamen tubers. They fight the pest using acaricides (Aktellik, Apollo, Neoron, Omayt). 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 to crops look like

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

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

Mulberry (morus) is a deciduous tree from the Mulberry family. It is also known under the names of mulberry and mulberry tree. The plant is successfully cultivated in temperate climates and subtropics. The natural habitat is the vastness of North America, Africa and Asia. The plant gained its popularity due to its tasty and juicy berries. It is also used for site decoration, treatment, and industrial purposes. And, of course, it is the foliage of the mulberry that serves as food for the silkworm - the "producer" of silk.

plant description

Mulberry is a deciduous tree with a spreading crown. Usually it grows no more than 10-15 m in height. The maximum annual growth is achieved in young age. Among the mulberries there are real centenarians. Individual specimens grow for 200-500 years.

Young branches are covered with dark brown smooth bark, which cracks and flakes with age. On the shoots grow regular petiolate leaves of a heart-shaped or ovoid shape. Them shiny surface dotted with a mesh of embossed, lighter veins and painted in dark green. The edges of the foliage are jagged, and the reverse side is lighter, matte. The length of the sheet is 7-15 cm.

In mid-spring, the mulberry blooms with barely noticeable, unattractive buds with long stamens. They are collected in dense short spikelets and resemble fluffy brushes hanging on flexible legs. Mulberry can be monoecious or dioecious. Dioecious varieties have separate male, barren trees (silk) and females.

Pollination occurs with the help of insects and wind. After it, the fruits ripen complex structure. On a short branch there are many juicy drupes pressed against each other. The total length of the fruit is 2-5 cm. Its color is purple-black, red or creamy white. The fruits are edible, they have a sweet and sour taste and a rather intense, pleasant aroma. The size of the leaves and fruits of the mulberry is highly dependent on the climate and soil fertility. In the south, they are an order of magnitude larger than in the middle lane (for example, in the Moscow region).

Mulberry species

Botanists are debating about the species classification. AT various sources indicate that the genus contains 17-200 species.

Black mulberry (m. negro). The tree grows 10-13 m from the ground. Its dense crown is covered with large ovoid leaves 10-20 cm long and 6-10 cm wide. Dark purple drupes are sweet and oblong - about 2-3 cm long. Varieties:

• Kherson - frost-resistant, low tree with large (3.5 cm), sweet berries;
• Black Baroness - a frost-resistant tree already in June is covered with large, sweet berries;
• Smuglyanka - a tall, spreading tree gives black sweet and sour berries;
• Staromoskovskaya - sweet black-purple fruits 3 cm in size ripen on a tall tree with a spherical crown.

White mulberry (m. alba). Spreading, tall tree covered with gray-brown bark. On young branches grow broad ovate or palmate leaves with serrated edges. The length of the leaves is 5-15 cm. The fruitful shoots are shortened relative to the vegetative ones. These dioecious plants flower in April-May and bear fruit in May-June. Fruits (multi-drupes) are cylindrical in shape and white or pink in color. Their length reaches 4 cm. The taste is more watery, sugary-sweet. Varieties:

• Golden - shoots and foliage are painted golden in spring;
• White honey - a tall sprawling tree gives a large crop of snow-white sugar fruits about 3 cm long;
• Victoria - a low tree produces sweet, juicy berries about 5 cm in length;
• Weeping mulberry - a decorative variety with flexible, drooping lashes grows up to 5 m.

Red mulberry (m. rubra). The species is resistant to frost. Its homeland is North America. The plant is no different. large sizes, but it is quite spreading. Heart-shaped or lobed leaves 7-14 cm long and 6-12 cm wide have an asymmetric shape. They are painted bright green. In the middle of summer, a crop of dark purple very sweet berries ripens up to 2-3 cm in length. Outwardly, the fruits of this particular species are similar to blackberries.

Reproduction methods

Mulberry reproduces quite simply, so gardeners do not have any difficulties when growing. You can use seed and vegetative methods.

At seed propagation freshly harvested, peeled and dried seeds are used. Crops are produced in autumn or spring immediately in open ground. All seeds need stratification. During the autumn sowing, it will take place in natural conditions, but in the spring it will be necessary to preliminarily withstand the seeds for 4-6 weeks in the refrigerator. Before planting, the seeds are treated with a stimulant for several hours ("Zircon", "Epin"). For sowing choose an open, sunny place. Grooves are made 3-5 cm deep, in which planting material is placed as rarely as possible. The bed is covered with earth and mulched with a thick layer. When the soil warms up, shoots will appear. Caring for them involves regular weeding, watering and fertilizing. In mid-autumn, the seedlings will grow enough for the first transplant with a distance of 3-5 m. This will avoid tangling the roots. Fruiting occurs after 5-6 years.

Since varietal characteristics are not preserved during seed propagation, vegetative propagation methods are more popular:

• Rooting cuttings. In June-July cut green shoots 15-20 cm long with 2-3 leaves. Landing is carried out in a greenhouse. The branches are placed diagonally to a depth of about 3 cm. 1-2 leaves are left on the cuttings with a leaf plate shortened by half. The key to good rooting is high humidity. Ideally, if there is a sprayer in the greenhouse that creates a water suspension (fog). By September, developed roots will appear and shoots will begin to grow. Landing in open ground is planned for next spring.
• Root suckers. Each tree periodically gives basal shoots. It can be used for reproduction. A developed sprout with a height of 0.5 m is dug up in the middle of spring, trying not to damage the roots, and planted in a new place. To make development faster, the branches are shortened by a third.
• Vaccinations. Often, ornamental varietal plants are grafted onto stock obtained from seedlings. To do this, all shoots are removed on the stock, and oblique cuts are made on the scion with 2 buds. They are combined and fixed with a special tape. The splicing process is usually completed within 1-2 months. After that, the tape is removed. In the future, it is important to cut off all the lower branches that grow from the rootstock. The method allows you to collect several different varieties on one plant, forming the so-called "melange crop".

Landing and care

It is better to plan planting mulberry for the first half of autumn, then it will have time to adapt to a new place, after wintering it will actively start growing. Some practice spring planting, before sap flow. When buying seedlings in nurseries, preference should be given to plants at the age of 4 years. If they have already been bearing fruit, it is easier to decide whether a male or female copy has got.

Mulberry is a heat-loving and light-loving plant, but it needs good protection from cold drafts. The soil should be sufficiently loose and fertile. Salt, sandy or waterlogged soil is not suitable, as is the proximity of groundwater.

2-3 weeks before landing work they dig a hole 50 cm deep and wide. Decomposed manure or compost with superphosphate is immediately introduced into poor soil. A layer of ordinary earth is poured over the fertilizer so as not to burn the roots. Old earthen clod when planting, they are crushed from the roots, and the voids are filled with fresh soil. Upon completion of work, 2 buckets of water are poured under the tree, and then the surface is mulched. Young, thin seedlings are tied up.

In the future, mulberry care comes down to loosening, watering and fertilizing. It is necessary to water the trees more often during the period of flowering and fruiting, but even here it is important to know the measure, otherwise the berries will be too watery. From mid-summer, watering is needed only during a long drought.

In April-June, mulberry is fertilized 1-2 times with nitrogen-containing dressings. In the second half of summer, compositions with a high content of potassium and phosphorus are preferred.

The near-stem circle is loosened from time to time to the depth of a spade bayonet, and weeds are also removed.

Mulberry pruning plays an important role. In the spring, frozen broken branches are removed. If the plants are planted for harvest, it is recommended to form them into a bush or a low tree, then it will be easier to pick berries. Mulberry tolerates pruning very well and recovers quickly, so do not be afraid to remove the excess. From time to time, the crown is thinned out and rejuvenated, completely removing 1-2 old branches and up to a third of the remaining shoots. At autumn pruning remove dry, old, as well as diseased and broken branches. In the same period, too young, unripe shoots should be removed.

Mulberry resists plant diseases well. But when landing in a too damp place, she may suffer from powdery mildew, brown spotting, bacteriosis and small-leaved curl. Often a mulberry mushroom develops on it. The best salvation will be treatment with fungicides ("Silit", blue vitriol, "Cytoflavin").

Periodically, the tree is attacked by insects (mulberry moth, spider mite, white American butterfly). Insecticides will help to cope with them, and treatments are carried out regularly for preventive purposes from early spring.

Benefits and contraindications

Fruits, leaves and young shoots of mulberries contain a large amount of biologically active substances:

• vitamins (A, C, E, K and group B);
• macronutrients (P, Mg, Ca, K, Na);
• trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Mn);
• antioxidants.

The use of fresh berries contributes to the normalization of all processes in the body. They have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, promote the outflow of fluid, increase blood pressure and sugar. To keep the berries longer, they are dried or frozen, fermented for wine and ground with sugar. The impact of the fruits of the same tree on the gastrointestinal tract is twofold. Unripe berries strengthen the stool, while ripe and juicy ones contribute to its thinning. A decoction of berries soothes, helps to cope with stress and insomnia. It also restores the body after serious physical exertion.

Not only fruits are used, but also leaves and bark. They are harvested for future use, and then infusions and decoctions are made. They have a good expectorant effect. Unlike berries, leaves and twigs lower blood sugar and lower blood pressure.

As such, mulberry has no contraindications, but it can harm people prone to allergies. Excessive consumption of berries leads to diarrhea.

Decorative mulberry is not just a useful, but also a beautiful tree, which every day is becoming widely known among gardeners and gardeners. grow up decorative varieties mulberries not only for the use of its tasty and healthy fruits, but also for decorating a personal plot.

It is quite possible to grow this tree on your own. If you carefully carry out all agrotechnical measures, you can get a regular and rich harvest.

Description

Ornamental mulberry is a deciduous tree, whose leaves can be up to 10-30 cm long. It has a tent-shaped or broadly ovoid crown shape. Young seedlings gain height very quickly, and then their growth stops. The lifespan of a tree is approximately 200 years. But in practice, there were centenarians who managed to bear fruit up to 300 and 500 years.

Mulberry decorative

Leaves are arranged alternately. They are simple, lobed, with jagged edges. One tree can have leaves of different shapes and sizes. The fruits are complex, consist of drupes. The color of the berries can be different: cream, white, red or black. They are very tasty and sweet, and they also have an incredible aroma.

The flowers are unisexual, can take on a white or white-green color. Inflorescences can be different, they are all in axillary spikes. Decorative mulberry blooms from April to May. But you can harvest in July. The flowers are pollinated by the wind. And the seeds are spread by birds that eat the berries.

To date, about 400 varieties of decorative mulberries are known. But the most popular are:

1. weeping. The height of this mulberry reaches 5 m. It is characterized by branches hanging to the ground.

   

   weeping

2. Pyramidal. These trees have a pyramidal crown. The height is 8 m.

   

   fruits of the Pyramidal

3. spherical. This is decorative tree, in which the crown has the shape of a ball.

   

   spherical

4. large-leaved. In this variety, the leaves can grow up to 22 cm long.

   

   large-leaved

5. Dissected leaf. An ornamental culture that has an uncharacteristic leaf shape. It will also be interesting to look at that. what they look like

   

   dissected leaf

6. Golden. This plant got its name due to the fact that the color of its leaves and shoots is cast in gold. But how the planting and care of the golden thuja takes place, indicated in this

   

   Golden

How to plant

Growing decorative mulberry begins with the fact that it is to be planted. This must be done in April, while self-promotion has not yet begun. You can still plant seedlings in September-October, before the rainy season has begun. Best to choose autumn planting. When the plant can survive the winter, it will allow it to live for a long time.

To correctly determine the landing site, you need to find out what is preferable for the selected plant. Decorative mulberry belongs to light-loving crops and needs protection from cold winds.

She does not like dry and sandy soil, as well as saline and marshy land. Make sure that the occurrence of groundwater is not higher than 1.5 m. (In this case, you can use it). If you plant trees with male flowers, then you should not expect fruits from them. But it will be possible to find out the sex of your seedling only after 4-5 years. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you need to buy 3-year-old plants that have already given birth.

On the video - how to plant a mulberry:

autumn planting

Before planting a seedling, it is necessary to prepare a foundation pit in advance. Its size depends on the root system of the plant. Please note that the seedling should be freely located in the recess. The average size the pit is 50x50x50 cm. But how crocuses are planted in the fall in the ground, it is indicated

If there is poor soil on the site, then the pit should be of greater depth, because 5-7 kg of rotted manure combined with 100 g of superphosphate will have to be laid on its bottom. After the fertilizers have been laid, crush them with a layer of earth. Do not allow the plant to come into contact with fertilizers.

After 14 days, you can plant a mulberry seedling. Lower the roots into the pit, straighten them and dig in. The trunk needs to be shaken slightly so that there are no voids in the ground. After planting, compact the ground in the trunk circle, irrigate with 2 buckets of water. As soon as the liquid is absorbed, then mulch the trunk circle.

If a very thin and fragile seedling is used for planting, then before planting it, a support must be driven into the bottom of the recess. Tie a plant to it after planting. When planting mulberry in heavy clay soil, first lay on the bottom of the pit broken bricks. They will act as a drain.

spring planting

The algorithm for planting mulberry seedlings in spring is no different from autumn. The only exception is that it is necessary to dig deepenings in the fall. Place a fertile substrate in them and leave until spring. In April, you can proceed to landing.

How to care

Treatment

To minimize the risk of developing diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of the tree and the near-trunk circle in time. For these purposes, insecticides and fungicides are used.

On the video - how to care for a tree:

Fertilization

From early spring to July, decorative mulberries need to be fed. In spring, the tree requires nitrogen preparations, but in summer - phosphates and potash top dressing.

Today, decorative mulberry can be grown on almost any personal plot. It is important at the same time to fully care for the plant and observe all the nuances when planting a seedling. If you approach this process responsibly, then after a while a real decoration will appear in the garden, which can still please you with delicious berries.