Mulberry Trees

[DoubleRidge]

Im reading that mulberry trees are common and that the berries are sweet when ripe. Until recently I had never seen one? But last Saturday I came across a good size tree that was loaded. Going to try to propogate some cuttings and see if I can get some rooted. Anyone ever propogated any?

 

[Ski]

Never tried mulberry cuttings but I assume they'd work. I do lots of cuttings and have varying levels of success with all. Apple has proven to be the hardest to keep alive. I only get maybe 1 of 100 to take root enough to survive more than a year. Plums are about the easiest.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Never tried mulberry cuttings but I assume they'd work. I do lots of cuttings and have varying levels of success with all. Apple has proven to be the hardest to keep alive. I only get maybe 1 of 100 to take root enough to survive more than a year. Plums are about the easiest.

I have some cutting from an old pear tree that was my grandmother's....its been there since I was a child and its loaded with fruit today....I'm hoping some of these take....any that do will get tubes or cages to keep the deer off....used the rooting hormone powder and keeping them moist....we'll see.

 

[Ski]

I like your chances. I've never used rooting hormone or potting soil. I just take cuttings, scrape the bark off an inch or so of the bottom, and stick them into the ground. Plums usually take off. Apples usually not. I've heard pears do well.

I love doing this stuff. The more I do it the more I enjoy it and learn a lot along the way. Nature is crazy cool.

 

[TnKen]

I have a couple of mulberry trees, but have never got any berries from them. The squirrels love them, and will take them all before they are ripe enough to pick.

 

[wildlifefarmer]

I've got one about 18 inch diameter. Between the squirrels and birds you have a hard time finding any on the trees. Seems like all critters love them. If they fall the deer and turkeys flock to them. If you're lucky enough to find one they are pretty dang good. Heck I even had a ground hog climb the tree and hang upside down on a limb to eat them.

 

[Omega]

I planted a few bare root trees almost two years ago from the TN tree Day people, most seem to be doing well even though they don't get any TLC, just a wire cage to protect them until they can survive on their own. Hope they survive to give off fruit, areas I planted them at could use some.

 

[MickThompson]

Never tried mulberry cuttings but I assume they'd work. I do lots of cuttings and have varying levels of success with all. Apple has proven to be the hardest to keep alive. I only get maybe 1 of 100 to take root enough to survive more than a year. Plums are about the easiest.

Almost 100% of commercial apples are grafted onto rootstock. Probably part of your difficulty with apples. The good fruit genes apparently aren't good root genes.

 

[TX300mag]

I've transplanted a lot of them. They're great, hardy fast-growing trees. We pick them for jelly, jams, fresh fruit, cobblers, etc. they coincide with dewberries, so we mix them for some tartness (or you can pick some before fully ripe).

We use the wood for heating and cooking, just make sure it dries well. Smells great.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Almost 100% of commercial apples are grafted onto rootstock. Probably part of your difficulty with apples. The good fruit genes apparently aren't good root genes.

Been reading and studying on grafting but have never attempted it. I would love to eventually get some apple trees going.

 

[BSK]

I have some cutting from an old pear tree that was my grandmother's....its been there since I was a child and its loaded with fruit today....I'm hoping some of these take....any that do will get tubes or cages to keep the deer off....used the rooting hormone powder and keeping them moist....we'll see.

DoubleRidge,

Please tell me this is one of the old heirloom pears, the ones that produce the HUGE fruit. The pears are a bit grainy in texture, but very sweet to the taste, although a tad astringent. I've been looking everywhere for one of those. Deer, horse, and cattle go crazy for them, but you can't buy seedlings of those old varieties. I thought about trying to grow them from seed, but if cuttings work...

 

[DoubleRidge]

DoubleRidge,

Please tell me this is one of the old heirloom pears, the ones that produce the HUGE fruit. The pears are a bit grainy in texture, but very sweet to the taste, although a tad astringent. I've been looking everywhere for one of those. Deer, horse, and cattle go crazy for them, but you can't buy seedlings of those old varieties. I thought about trying to grow them from seed, but if cuttings work...

Im not 100% sure of type? Wish I knew...but the tree was producing when I was a child and I'll be 55 this year....a bit grainy in texture yes, but these are not huge in size...not super sweet, but sweet enough....growing up we always made pear preserves from them...This tree is starting to show some age so hoping to keep it going.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Im not 100% sure of type? Wish I knew...but the tree was producing when I was a child and I'll be 55 this year....a bit grainy in texture yes, but these are not huge in size...not super sweet, but sweet enough....growing up we always made pear preserves from them...This tree is starting to show some age so hoping to keep it going.

Could they be Bartlett or Kieffer? That's what I have planted. Deer love them.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Could they be Bartlett or Kieffer? That's what I have planted. Deer love them.

Looking at pictures online I would say these look more like the Barlett but Im not 100% sure? But no doubt, any fruit that is hanging low or that hits the ground, gets eaten quickly!

 

[BSK]

I did some searching around, and I think what I'm looking for are the old European Pears. They were brought from Europe hundreds of years ago, and they are mostly found on 100-150 year-old homesteads. They are a fairly large pear, green in color until ripe, and then they are a yellow-orange. Before they are fully ripe, they are quite grainy in the mouth, and not that juicy, but the flavor is excellent. However, once they are fully ripe, they become much juicier and smoother in the mouth.

 

[Ski]

I would love to eventually get some apple trees going.

I've done really well with starting them from seed. I save seeds from apples I get from grocery store, wrap them in wet paper towel, then keep in fridge for month or two until they sprout little roots. From there I put them in potting soil in cardboard cups and set them in a window for light. By spring they are tiny apple trees. I plant the cup and all in the ground and they become trees. Never know what kind of apple tree it'll be but it's for wildlife anyway so ot doesn't matter. Lots of youtube videos showing how to do it. Super easy and cheap way to plant DOZENS of apple trees.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I planted 500 bare roots about 4-5 yrs ago…got mulberry trees out the wazoo now.

 

[backyardtndeer]

I would love to eventually get some apple trees going.

I have had good luck with bare root trees, never tried growing any from seed. I have 10 apple trees in a spot where I usually keep a clover plot, they are producing now. Have 5 apple trees in the yard.

I've done really well with starting them from seed. I save seeds from apples I get from grocery store, wrap them in wet paper towel, then keep in fridge for month or two until they sprout little roots. From there I put them in potting soil in cardboard cups and set them in a window for light. By spring they are tiny apple trees. I plant the cup and all in the ground and they become trees. Never know what kind of apple tree it'll be but it's for wildlife anyway so ot doesn't matter. Lots of youtube videos showing how to do it. Super easy and cheap way to plant DOZENS of apple trees.

I will have to try that. Will also have to try that with our crabapples, i have no idea what kind they are but deer here seem to love them.

 

[Darkthirty II]

I planted two 4' mulberry trees last spring. They each had half dozen mulberries on'em this spring. They've grown about 2' since it's warmed up.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Collected mulberry cuttings today...made 18 pieces. Followed instructions that several give on-line. Scraped lower inch or so of bark, dipped in rooting hormone, potted in moist soil and keeping moist....they say mulberry is an easy one to propogate....we'll see.

 

[Chapman]

I rooted some cuttings a few years back. I watched a youtube video, can't remember which one. They are considered pretty easy to root. The birds will spread the seed around your property, could become a nuisiance tree.
This mullberry came up wild in the corner of my cow pens.

Grew real fast, maybe 5 years old. Not real common to see in this area. I was surprised by the amount of fruit it had this spring.

 

[Chapman]

Collected mulberry cuttings today...made 18 pieces. Followed instructions that several give on-line. Scraped lower inch or so of bark, dipped in rooting hormone, potted in moist soil and keeping moist....they say mulberry is an easy one to propogate....we'll see.

View attachment 232563

One thing I remember about rooting them, they can start sending out shoots even though they have not made any roots yet. They are just pushing growth from the stored energy in the cutting. So sprouts do not guarantee you will get roots and it will eventually die if no roots are made.

 

[DoubleRidge]

One thing I remember about rooting them, they can start sending out shoots even though they have not made any roots yet. They are just pushing growth from the stored energy in the cutting. So sprouts do not guarantee you will get roots and it will eventually die if no roots are made.

Thanks...appreciate any information or suggestions...did several hoping to get a few.

 

[Chapman]

Thanks...appreciate any information or suggestions...did several hoping to get a few.

Best to start a bunch of them and hope to get a few. My success was pretty low. Maybe try a few of the smaller diameter branches also. OK, I see you have some smaller ones also.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I rooted some cuttings a few years back. I watched a youtube video, can't remember which one. They are considered pretty easy to root. The birds will spread the seed around your property, could become a nuisiance tree.
This mullberry came up wild in the corner of my cow pens. View attachment 232565View attachment 232566View attachment 232567 Grew real fast, maybe 5 years old. Not real common to see in this area. I was surprised by the amount of fruit it had this spring.

What a great looking tree! I'd love to have several like that!...thanks for sharing!

 

[Ski]

Collected mulberry cuttings today...made 18 pieces. Followed instructions that several give on-line. Scraped lower inch or so of bark, dipped in rooting hormone, potted in moist soil and keeping moist....they say mulberry is an easy one to propogate....we'll see.

View attachment 232563

You'll be seeing leaves sprout in just days. Nature is amazing.

 

[Ski]

I was surprised by the amount of fruit it had this spring.

Ooh yummy! Man I love those things.

Dang it DD you've just about got me inspired to go get some cuttings!

 

[Chapman]

Collected mulberry cuttings today...made 18 pieces. Followed instructions that several give on-line. Scraped lower inch or so of bark, dipped in rooting hormone, potted in moist soil and keeping moist....they say mulberry is an easy one to propogate....we'll see.

View attachment 232563

I would keep them in the shade, out of any direct sun.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I would keep them in the shade, out of any direct sun.

Currently I've got them up against garden shed where they would only get early morning sun but no hot afternoon sun...but I'm going to move them to covered porch where I can better protect them from any direct sun...Thanks again.

 

[TnBob]

Im reading that mulberry trees are common and that the berries are sweet when ripe. Until recently I had never seen one? But last Saturday I came across a good size tree that was loaded. Going to try to propogate some cuttings and see if I can get some rooted. Anyone ever propogated any?

They make the best jelly of anything I've had. We had a nice one in our yard until last year when a storm took down a walnut tree that crushed the mulberry.