Early Spring is the ideal time for planting your favorite fruit trees such as mulberry so they can easily establish their root system. Proper care and supervision will help your mulberry trees to provide a bountiful harvest of their delectable fruit.
You can easily propagate mulberry trees from cuttings. It is a rewarding experience as you not only enjoy a juicy treat but the addition of these trees will add beauty to your landscape.
Even if you are an inexperienced gardener you can propagate mulberry through cuttings. You just need mulberry branches and some water for this purpose.
Benefits Of Propagating Mulberry Cuttings
This is the best and simplest way of propagating mulberry trees as it is inexpensive. You have to spend nothing if you already have Mulberry trees in your garden you can get cuttings from them.
You can also ask your friends or neighboring gardeners. When you buy seeds then you have to spend money and wait for their germination. This will need your patience.
Following are the other benefits you will get when you propagate Mulberry from cuttings.
PRESERVE DESIRABLE TREE CHARACTERISTICS
The first and the most important benefit you get when you propagate mulberry from cuttings is the growing of a new tree that inherits all the features of the parent tree.
The new tree will have the same size, color, fruit flavor, and disease resistance as its parent tree. The fruit you get has the same delicious taste and quality so propagation from cuttings is the best idea.
FAST MATURITY AND FRUIT PRODUCTION
When you sow the seeds it will take time for germination. When you start the plant from cuttings, its maturity time is shortened which is a plus point. Rooted cuttings start producing fruit after 2 to 3 years and you will get a quicker harvest.
SUSTAINABILITY AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS
Growing new plants by cutting is a cost-effective method. You can grow more trees by using cuttings without spending money.
This growing method will not affect you; you can grow new plants naturally. Buying seeds or young plants can be a costly
How To Root Mulberry Tree Cuttings?
You should be careful when you are propagating mulberry trees from cuttings as it involves many steps from choosing the cuttings to transplanting them to their permanent location. Now we will discuss all the important steps with you one by one.
TAKING MULBERRY TREE CUTTINGS
When you consider the propagation of the Mulberry tree from cuttings then the first question that comes to your mind is what is the ideal time for cuttings late winter or early spring is the best time when your 3 is in a dormant position.
Make sure you are selecting healthy branches that are free from any damage or diseases. The healthy branch can turn into a healthy tree. The ideal length of the cuttings should be about 6 to 8 inches.
You need sharp and clean shear for cutting the branches. Make sure the cut is below the node. These nodes are significant as the new roots will emerge from them.
Make sure you are using many cuttings as it will increase the chance of success. Not all the cuttings will grow, some will die and some show signs of life.
PREPARE THE CUTTINGS
After the selection of cutting from your favourite Mulberry tree now the next step is preparing them for dipping in the water. To speed up the routing process you can use rooting hormone.
It is not essential to use rooting hormone but if you want to increase the chance of chance it is better to use it.
PUT THE CUTTINGS IN THE WATER
After selecting the right cuttings from your favorite white mulberry tree, now this is time to put them in a jar filled with water. When you propagate mulberry cuttings in water you can easily examine the roots in the jar. If you find any problem then you can avoid it by taking action.
In case you are growing mulberry cuttings in the soil and they accidentally dry out you can’t do anything because the lower part of the cuttings are inside the soil so a close inspection is not possible.
You should change the water regularly to prevent it from molding. Soon the buds started to swell for the growth of new roots. After some weeks you will see tiny roots emerging from the cutting. When the roots are a little longer you can transplant them in the soil.
It’s not a great idea to leave the cuttings in the water because at this stage your cuttings need nutrients that they will not get from water. A great growing medium such as soil will provide essential nutrients.
The interesting thing about mulberry cuttings is that they have a forgiving nature and they don’t mind poor treatment so they can easily start growing in the water without much trouble.
PROVIDING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT
You should prefer to provide the right conditions to the Mulberry cuttings so they can easily turn into new young plants.
For root growth, the ideal temperature should be between 72 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 to 24 Centigrade. A warm and well-lighted area is the best for the cuttings you put in the water.
TRANSPLANTING
After 4 to 8 weeks you will see the cuttings will start rooting. The young roots are very delicate; you should treat them very carefully. It is not good to leave cuttings for a long time in the water because they need more nutrients for further development.
At this stage, it is better to transplant them to their permanent location. You can plant these cuttings in a pot and later shift them in the garden. If you are transplanting these cuttings in the pot, fill the pot with high-quality potting mix and plant these rooted cuttings.
During transplanting make sure the roots should not disturb. Now water them so they can easily adjust to the new environment.
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Mulberry Tree Care
This tree grows very fast and it has an extensive root system so they need ample space. Before choosing the permanent location For rooted mulberry cuttings you must consider the height of the mature tree.
When your mulberry tree gets the desired space then it will produce a higher yield of delicious fruit for you.
LIGHT
As you know light is essential for the growth of any plant. Mulberry trees can also tolerate partial shade but for higher yield, they need full sun exposure.
Choose a sunny location where your mulberry cuttings can get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight so they can grow fast. The fruit production will become low if your mulberry tree receives insufficient sunlight.
The growth of newly planted cuttings will stop when they will not get enough light. However, during the first year, the young mulberry trees easily adjust in partially shaded areas.
For lighting requirements, you should consider the need of the specific cultivar you choose. For instance, if you are growing white mulberry then it can tolerate partial shade. On the other hand, black Mulberry needs sun exposure to produce a tasty treat of fruit for you.
WATER
Mulberry trees are not heavy drinkers and can tolerate drought. It doesn’t mean you should not maintain the frequency of water because excessive dryness can stunt the growth and fruit production. As a result, your plant will die because water is the basic need of any plant.
The newly planted young mulberry trees need deep water once or twice a week during the first year. The root system of young plants is easily established when they receive water on time.
You can reduce the frequency of water when the tree is mature as it needs deep water every 2-3 weeks.
Overwatering is not good for plants as it encourages root rot and many fungal diseases. When there is heavy rain you should avoid watering and make sure soil is well drained. If the soil is compacted then waterlogging can create an alarming situation for you.
HUMIDITY
The level of humidity will be moderate for the right growth of your mulberry trees. You should not compromise on the air circulation as it can prevent your plant from powdery mildew and leaf spots.
TEMPERATURE
A warm and temperate climate is perfect for growing Mulberry trees. If you live in such a climate, you can easily grow Mulberry trees from cuttings because the ideal temperature is very important for growth and fruit production.
The perfect daytime temperature ranges from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 to 29 degrees Centigrade. At night it should be 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 to 18 degrees Centigrade.
SOIL
Essential nutrients are needed for the healthy growth of mulberry trees. It can adjust in all types of soil such as sandy, loamy, or clay. Avoid planting your young mulberry plants in compacted or poorly drained soil.
The ideal pH of the soil should be between 6.0 to 7.0. You can prepare the area by removing the weeds or debris. Make the soil more nutritious by adding compost or manure.
