Features of growing and caring for mulberry in the Moscow region

Description of the plant

Mulberry is a fairly tall, deciduous tree. It grows in height from 3 to 15 meters. Traditionally it has large and wide leaves that are rough to the touch with obligatory teeth at the edges. In summer, the foliage is green. The interesting thing is that on the same tree it is possible to see leaves that differ in size and configuration. During the flowering period, small flowers appear on the culture, which are collected in axillary ears. The mulberry fruit is endowed with a pleasant aroma and reaches a length of up to 3 cm. The average duration of the shrub is 200 years. But there are cases when plants lived for 300, and individual specimens even for 500 years.

Scientists have counted about two dozen varieties of culture. To make it more convenient, it was divided into white, red and black. This classification is due to the color of the bark. Most often in the gardens of our country you can see the white mulberry. It is a tree up to 18 meters high. Large leaves are a favorite delicacy of the silkworm. Compound fruits are pink, purple and white, have a length of no more than 3.5 cm. This variety is quite frost-resistant.

Red mulberry is native to eastern North America. Its stems are no more than 3 cm in size and are usually colored purple, red or black, characteristic of this species. The height of the tree is about 20 meters. Its feature is the ability to withstand drought.

Black mulberry is found in Southwest Asia. It has large stems up to 5 cm in size. They are painted in a pleasant purple or black color. The height of the culture is normally about 15 meters. The disadvantage is the low degree of frost resistance.

Video "Description"

From the video you will learn a description of the mulberry tree.

Variety selection

This culture grows in various regions of our country, mulberry is also found in the Moscow region, cultivation, of course, has its own characteristics. Since the local climate is not particularly suitable for such a southern plant. Although the tree has received from nature the ability to withstand frosts of up to - 30 degrees, but for the full growth and development of the root system, indicators within the range of - 7 - 10 degrees are already destructive. Therefore, when carrying out the correct planting, it is still advised to deepen the root collars. And cover the entire system for the winter with an additional layer of mulch, reliable in terms of frost resistance.

There is one more problem - short daylight hours. The culture is characterized by two growing seasons - spring and autumn. The plus is that the culture will not be able to suffer from excessive frostbite of young branches, since it tends to reject non-viable shoots.In the process of planting, seedlings are advised to be placed in such an area so that there are no tall trees near them, since they can create shade. There are mulberry varieties that are adapted during the selection process for normal cultivation in the Moscow region. It is about them that we want to tell in more detail below. So that every gardener can choose a suitable variety of his favorite culture for his site.

Red mulberry Vladimirskaya is a tree that grows over 6 meters. It has a wide crown. It actively produces lateral shoots from below. Pleases the owner with sweet fruits of dark purple color, having a length of about 3 cm. The advantages of the species include self-pollination and frost resistance.

Belaya Staromoskovskaya is a tree with an interesting spherical crown, the trunk height of which normally reaches 10 meters. Berries are naturally endowed with a dark purple color, have a size of up to 3 cm and excellent taste. The advantages of the variety include winter hardiness and self-fertility.

The Royal mulberry is a medium-sized crop, which can actually be given a spherical shape during the pruning process. The berries are painted in a characteristic black color and have a length of up to 3 cm. It has a high degree of fruiting, grows quickly on soil with any structure, does not need abundant watering and special care. The variety is partially self-fertile, therefore pollinating plants should be planted in the immediate vicinity of such a shrub. Its many advantages include a high degree of frost resistance, abundant yield, good transportability, and immunity to diseases and pests. Berries and bark of the culture are usually used for medicinal purposes.

White honey is a tree with a fairly wide crown. The variety is partially self-fertile, the berries are sweet, they do not tolerate transportation well, and they can keep their original appearance fresh for no more than 6 hours. The advantages of the variety are a high degree of frost resistance, productivity, the ability to grow normally on any soil, unpretentiousness in terms of care.

The Black Prince variety is a medium-sized tree with a wide crown. The berries are colored black, grow up to 5 cm. They are distinguished by a high content of vitamins and microelements. The plant is not self-fertile. The advantages include high productivity and winter hardiness.

Mulberry The Black Baroness is a tree with a globe-shaped crown. It can grow on earth of any structure. It has black and juicy fruits, which are about 4 cm in size. The berries normally last no more than 12 hours. They do not particularly like transportation over long distances. The culture is partially self-fertile. The obvious advantages of the variety are a high degree of frost resistance and yield.

Mulberry Ukrainian is a large tree on which a small number of fruits ripen. But at the same time, they are unusually sweet. Found their application in folk medicine as an excellent remedy for constipation, bronchitis, asthma. The advantages of the variety are called its high frost resistance, undemanding soil, useful qualities of berries, decorativeness.

Planting and leaving

When choosing a site, it should be remembered that mulberries in the Moscow region, the cultivation and care of which, you will carry out on your own, prefers normally lit places. The soil should ideally be sandy or loamy. It is customary to start planting seedlings in early spring, when it has already become a little warmer outside, or with the onset of late autumn. It is necessary to prepare a pit measuring 80 by 80 by 60 cm. It is necessary to fill it with earth from the top layer, a couple of buckets of humus and about 150 grams of fertilizer. All components are mixed well, the plant is placed in the center, its root system is straightened. Next, sprinkle the bush with soil mixture and tamp it a little.

Careful watering and mulch creation around the tree is required. When the mulberry begins to grow intensively, fertilizer needs to be applied. The following composition has proven itself excellently. Diluted slurry at a rate of 1: 5 or bird droppings at a rate of 1:10. Starting in July, the tree will need watering only if there are particularly dry days.

As for wintering, we recall that the culture normally withstands temperatures up to -30 degrees. But she inevitably experiences a shortage of heat, which results in a decrease in the degree of yield. When spring comes, you need to inspect the culture on your site and, if necessary, remove the frostbitten branches. Then, over the summer, the plant will be able to recover normally. In the Moscow region, when caring for mulberries, the plant must be pruned in order to give it the shape of a bush. Then, in case of severe frosts, it is possible to shelter it in the winter. For this, it is customary to tie the crown with paper bandages or burlap. Fastening is carried out using twine. This is done at a height of about several meters.

Reproduction

Mulberry seedlings can be obtained in several ways - with the help of seeds or cuttings.

When sown with seeds, the plants are more resistant to the weather conditions that are typical for the area. In the case of planting black mulberries, you will have to keep the growths on the site for a long time. Since before flowering it is not possible to determine whether it is a male or a female. It is recommended to sow the seeds immediately after separation from the fruits. When they germinate, the seedlings are dived and planted on the site, maintaining a distance of up to 30 cm. It is permissible to replant them to permanent places only in the second year. For fruiting, seedlings obtained from seeds are ready for 5 years from the moment of germination.

Reproduction can also be carried out by cuttings. This method provides an excellent opportunity to preserve all the best properties of the mother's culture. Intense shoot growth occurs in June - July.

It was during this period that it is customary to propagate mulberries by means of green cuttings. For this purpose, the shoots of the current year are cut. Next, they need to be divided into cuttings having a length of 15 to 20 cm. Depth into the ground is carried out for a third of the entire length and with an angle of 45 degrees. On each shoot, it is imperative to leave a couple of leaves, while the leaf plate should be cut in half. Rooting is usually done in a greenhouse. It is there that there is a sufficient level of humidity. In autumn, the plants already have normally developed roots. But it is customary to plant them in the spring, with the arrival of heat. In order to reliably protect the seedlings from the effects of low temperatures, it is advised to cover them with straw.

Video "Features of cultivation"

From the video you will learn how to properly grow mulberries.