You can enjoy tasty homegrown mulberries in just a few years if you grow a mulberry tree from a seed. Be patient and give the tree the care it needs, and you can have a productive mulberry tree in your backyard.
An Overview of Mulberry Trees
Mulberry trees grow quickly and lose their leaves in the fall. Their sweet, sour berries taste like blackberries. The trees do best in warm places and come in different types, such as black, red, and white mulberries. When fully grown, they can be over 50 feet tall, but they can be kept much shorter by cutting them back. The fruit from mulberry trees is what people really want. You can eat it fresh or make pies, jams, juices, and wines with it.
When to Plant Mulberry Seeds
The best time to plant mulberry seeds is in early spring after the last frost This gives the seeds time to germinate and become established before summer heat arrives Mulberry seeds require warm soil temperatures of at least 65-70°F to sprout. Plant them indoors 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost date.
Collecting and Storing Mulberry Seeds
To grow a mulberry tree from seed you first need to gather ripe mulberries when they are in season usually from June to August. Look for dark black or purple colored mulberries that have fallen from the tree, as these are fully ripe. Gently mash the berries to separate the seeds from the pulp. Rinse the seeds and allow them to dry fully on paper towels before storing. Place dried seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a year before planting.
Stratifying the Seeds
Mulberry seeds have a dormancy period that must be overcome through a process called stratification before they will sprout. To stratify them, place seeds between damp paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Refrigerate for 3-4 months, checking periodically to ensure towels remain moist. This mimics winter conditions and causes the seed coat to soften so moisture can penetrate for germination.
Planting Mulberry Seeds Indoors
Put seed starting mix in small pots or trays and plant the seeds when they are ready to go. Wet the soil and put two to three seeds 1/4 inch deep in each pot. It’s best to keep the seeds warm, around 70°F, and the soil damp but not soaked. Once the seedlings have sprouted, cut them down to the strongest one in each pot. Before moving seedlings to bigger pots, wait until they have four to six true leaves. Slowly get them used to being outside for 7–10 days before planting them outside.
Transplanting Mulberry Seedlings
Young mulberry trees are ready to transplant into the garden after the final spring frost when daytime temperatures are consistently above 65°F. Choose a site with full sun or partial shade and fertile, well-draining soil. Dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball of your seedling. Carefully remove from pot, loosen roots, place in hole, backfill soil, tamp down gently and water thoroughly. Stake the tree if needed for stability. Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around the base. Water seedlings regularly the first two years until well established.
Caring for Your Mulberry Tree
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For the first year or two, water seedlings often, giving them about 3 gallons of water per week. Mulberries are drought tolerant once established.
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Fertilize in late winter with aged compost or manure to maintain health.
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Prune only damaged or diseased branches in winter to shape. Avoid heavy pruning.
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Watch for pests like aphids and treat promptly to avoid spread.
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Weed and reapply mulch annually.
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Expect fruit in 5-10 years. Harvest ripe berries promptly when they fall to the ground.
Troubleshooting Mulberry Tree Issues
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If invasive saplings sprout, remove them promptly while small to prevent spread.
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If birds are eating fruit, net the tree when berries start ripening.
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If leaves are wilting, water more consistently, especially in droughts.
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If berries are dropping before ripe, ensure the tree gets adequate water.
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If berries are sparse, fertilize annually and prune minimally to encourage fruiting.
Final Thoughts
Growing a mulberry tree from seed takes time and patience but is a rewarding way to enjoy homegrown fruit. With proper seed stratification, care of seedlings, and attention as the tree matures, you can cultivate a thriving, fruit-bearing mulberry tree suited to your climate. Be sure to pick a variety that will perform well in your area for best results.
Plant a Mulberry Tree
Mulberry trees fend for themselves quite well once established, but here are things you can do to give them a good start.
- The first thing you should do when planting a mulberry tree that was grown in a pot is to check the roots. Mulberry grows quickly, so it’s common to find roots that are tightly wrapped around and knitted together.
- Use your fingers to tease apart the roots. Once the plant is planted, we want the roots to grow out into the soil around it, not keep going around in circles.
- Water well when first planted and until established.
Many sources suggest that regular pruning is not necessary with mulberry.
That’s fine if you want to feed the birds.
But if you’re growing the mulberries for yourself, I suggest a different approach: Be aggressive – and do it every year.
Your goal is to build a permanent frame of branches that you cut back to the ground every year (see picture below).
Grow mulberry trees in an umbrella shape, so you can reach all of the fruit. Photo by Grimo Nut Nursery.
The best way to get a tree with a well-arranged scaffold is to make it yourself. Get a whip, which is a young, unbranched tree. (You probably won’t find this sort of tree at a garden centre; look for a specialist fruit-tree nursery. ).
Then prune that whip so that it grows into a spreading tree. Think short and wide.
Start this pruning process by removing the “leader,” which is the growing tip of the tree. Linda Grimo, at Grimo Nut Nursery, a specialist nursery, suggests, “Stand as tall as you can with your pruners in your hand and clip off the top of the tree.” She explains that this stops it from growing upwards, and encourages the growth of side branches at a height you can reach without a ladder.
Umbrella-shaped mulberry tree in summer. Prune hard to keep berries at picking height. Photo by Grimo Nut Nursery.
Grimo says that her favorite way to grow mulberry trees is in a rack that looks like an umbrella, with side branches (called laterals) spread out around the tree. For ease of getting under the tree to pick, don’t grow the side branches too low on the tree; her preferred height is just over a metre (4’) above the ground.
Mulberry trees growing in good soil put on a tremendous amount of growth every year. After formative pruning is complete, prune back almost all of the new growth every year, leaving just 1-2 buds from which the tree can send up replacement shoots.
This harsh pruning doesn’t affect cropping because fruit forms on new growth. “Don’t be afraid, you can’t kill a mulberry tree,” is what Grimo tells concerned first-time mulberry growers.
Prune in late winter, when dormant.
Mulberry Trees in Garden Design
Mulberry trees are quite versatile in garden design. Here are ideas for using mulberry trees in the landscape:
- Plants that are dwarf or weeping are good for foodscapes with limited space.
- A food forest’s canopy layer can be made up of big mulberry trees that have been pruned very little.
- Because the tree can handle some shade, smaller types of mulberries can grow along the edges of a food forest.
- From the point of view of permaculture, mulberry is an interesting choice because it can produce fruit as well as poles and food for animals (see below).
Starting Mulberry Trees from Seed
FAQ
How long does it take to grow mulberry from seed?
Growing trees from seed means that you don’t know what sex the seedlings will be until they flower. A seedling mulberry often takes from 5-10 years to begin flowering.
Why is it illegal to plant a mulberry tree?
Effects on the Environment: White mulberry trees are considered invasive in some places because they can quickly adapt and spread widely. Such invasive species can quickly dominate and outcompete native vegetation, leading to significant disruptions in local ecosystems.
Can you grow a mulberry tree from a mulberry?
- Mulberry trees are very easy to propagate from cuttings.
- Take cuttings from healthy, mature branches.
- Prepare the cuttings by removing some lower leaves and applying rooting hormone.
- Plant the cuttings in well-draining soil or potting mix.
- Keep the soil moist and provide a warm, humid environment.
- Once roots have developed, you can transplant the cutting into its permanent location.
How many years does it take for a mulberry tree to bear fruit?
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Seed-grown trees:These trees take the longest to reach fruiting maturity, typically 5 to 10 years.
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Grafted trees or cuttings:These trees, which are essentially clones of a mature fruit-bearing tree, can start producing fruit much sooner, sometimes within the second or third year after planting.
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Factors affecting fruiting time:
- Tree age and size at planting: Older or larger trees at the time of planting may start fruiting sooner.
- Cultivar: Some mulberry cultivars are known to fruit more quickly than others.
- Growing conditions: Optimal growing conditions, such as proper sunlight, water, and soil, can help accelerate fruiting.
- Tree age and size at planting: Older or larger trees at the time of planting may start fruiting sooner.