Mulberry

How to grow mulberries in a garden

1. Choose a sunny spot with well drained soil. Enrich the soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. If the soil is alkaline, add Yates Soil Acidifer Liquid Sulfur to help lower the pH. 
2. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball.  
3. If planting in winter, soak bare-rooted plants in a bucket of water for 30 minutes prior to planting. Remove from bucket, position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. If planting a potted plant, remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots, then position in hole and backfill.
4. Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
5. Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.
6. Water deeply, once every 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions. Once established, water deeply once two weeks.
7. Feed with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser every 6-8weeks. When flowering and fruiting, feed fortnightly with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food.

How to grow mulberries in a pot

If growing in a pot, look for smaller growing varieties such as Dwarf Mulberry Black or Red Shahtoot.

1. Choose a pot at least 600mm wide. Position in full sun and partially fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter. 
   
2. Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.
   
3. Position in pot and backfill, gently firming down. Water in well.
   
4. Mulch with an organic mulch, such as bark chips, sugar cane or pea straw ensuring to keep it away from the trunk.
5. Water deeply, once every 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions. Once established, water deeply once two weeks.
6. Feed with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser every 6-8weeks. When flowering and fruiting, feed fortnightly with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food

Growing tips

•  A fast growing tree an ideal choice for new gardens.
• Can strike them from cuttings, take in early spring about 90cm long, place them in cool shaded spot in a pot. They will be ready for transplant after a year’s time, or purchase a healthy plant from a reputed nursery.
• Though they can be grown from seeds it may take up to 10 years before they bear fruit.  
• They can grow up to 12 metres in height and spread about 18 metres.
• Only pick fruits when they are ripe. 
• Hard prune in winter & lightly prune after fruiting period. 
• A must have tree if you wish to keep silkworms.
• Varieties include:
  
  Morus macroura ‘Shatoot’
  Morus alba ‘Pendula’
  Morus nigra ‘Hicks Fancy’
  Morus nigra ‘Black English’
  Morus rubra ‘Everbearing Downings’