Different fruit trees grow in the garden. These are apple trees, pears, cherries, plums and cherries. However, the mulberry tree is quite rare in it. But in the recent past, it was very popular and affordable. The older generation of gardeners has a lot to say about a useful plant that has now become exotic.
Varieties
An amazing long-liver comes from China. It has long been grown as a fodder crop. The leaves of the tree served as food for the silkworm - the producer of raw materials for the manufacture of a unique fabric. Gardeners grow the mulberry tree, belonging to the genus Morus, not for silk production, but as an ornamental and fruit crop. The genus consists of twenty-four species. Of these, white and black mulberries are fruitful, the distinguishing characteristic of which is the color of the bark of an adult plant. Many gardeners mistakenly believed that mulberry trees are distinguished by the color of the berries. However, this is not the case at all.
White mulberryhas a light color of the bark. But the berries can be white, cream, pink, purple or completely black. The numerous genus Morus is represented by dioecious and rarely monoecious trees. Most of them are heat-loving plants that can be grown in the southern regions. Only white mulberry in the middle lane does not freeze slightly, grows well and bears fruit.
Description
Not every fruit plant can boast of its longevity. Within two hundred or even three hundred years, a mulberry tree will give birth, without changing its qualities over time. A spreading tree reaches a height of twenty to thirty-five meters. Often it is formed in the form of a two- or three-meter bush. The bark is light. The spherical crown is densely covered with oval foliage.
Mulberry tree small spike-shaped inflorescences. They are light green in color. A dioecious or less commonly monoecious plant is pollinated by the wind. The fruits of the drupe are formed in the form of small infructescences. They have a pleasant sweet taste. Depending on the variety, the berries can be painted in different colors. White mulberry ripens from May to July. It bears fruit in the fifth year after planting. The yield is high. The berry picking period is somewhat extended due to unfriendly ripening. They are non-transportable and poorly stored, consumed immediately after removal.
This mulberry tree is winter-hardy and drought-resistant. These qualities characterize the plant as quite hardy and unpretentious. It is suitable for areas with any type of soil. In addition to these advantages, the mulberry tree ismedicinal plant. The fruits are high in vitamins. In addition, they contain flavonoid, morin, carotene, fatty acids, iron s alts. Not only berries have medicinal properties. The bark and leaves of the tree are also used for medicinal purposes.
Mulberry varieties
White mulberry can act as fodder, fruit and ornamental crops. They are represented by various varieties that differ in individual properties.
So, among the fruitful varieties, white honey mulberry is quite attractive. It is characterized by relative frost resistance and unpretentiousness, resistance to diseases. A tall deciduous tree with a wide crown. Simple oval leaves are painted in light green color. Inflorescences spike-shaped. Juicy fruits are white.
The palatability is good. Long harvesting begins at the end of June. Uneven fruit ripening lasts until early August. Fresh berries are stored for no more than six hours. They barely tolerate transportation.
White mulberry variety Baroness is a deciduous dioecious plant. Dense, well leafy crown has a spherical shape. Flowers are dioecious. They have a light color and form a spike-shaped inflorescence. Large berries, the size of which is 3.5 cm and a diameter of 1.5 cm, are densely colored black. Fragrant complex drupe has a sweet pleasant taste. Unlike the previous variety, the fruits are relatively transportable. The shelf life is twelve hours. High-yielding variety.
The period of picking berries falls on June-July. This mulberry tree is an unpretentious plant with high frost-resistant performance. Mulberry in central Russia winters well.
Mulberry tree Smuglyanka is a tall sprawling tree with a pyramidal crown. Large fruits reach three centimeters. Black berries are very juicy. Taste qualities are excellent. Slightly sour taste does not spoil the berries. This variety is less winter-hardy than Baroness. In winter, the branches may freeze slightly. An unpretentious plant has a high yield. Fruit ripening occurs at the beginning of July.
In addition to fruit species, there are more than four hundred decorative forms. Mulberry varieties differ in the shape and color of the crown and foliage. These are spectacular plants that are used in landscape design. Beautiful tree and shrub compositions, alleys and hedges, which include mulberry trees. Their openwork crown goes well with evergreens.
White weeping mulberry
Short tree or shrub reaches a height and width of up to three meters. It has a very decorative look. The elongated branches of the mulberry tree hang down. This form is indispensable in landscape design and will decorate any garden.
Dark green large leaves, the length of which can be from eight to twenty centimeters, are heart-shaped. In autumn they turn yellow. The flowering period is May-June. Mulberry bears fruitfew fruits. They are edible and have a pleasant sweet taste.
Besides this, there are spherical, dissected-leaved, Tatar and golden forms of white mulberry. Each of them has its own advantages and is widely used for single or group plantings.
Landing
Often summer residents do not dare to plant mulberry trees, as space is limited in a small area. "Is my garden suitable for trendy exotics?" - such a question arises among gardeners when choosing one or another variety of long-lived giant.
Growing mulberry provides several ways to form a plant that will limit the height. A tall, powerful spreading tree requires a larger feeding area. Mulberry planting is carried out according to the scheme 5 x 6 m. When the height of the mulberry tree is limited and grown in the form of a bush, the scheme is different and is 2 x 3 m. White mulberry is unpretentious. It grows equally well in unfavorable urban conditions, and in suburban summer cottages. Well-lit should be a corner of the garden in which mulberries will grow. Planting and caring for mulberry trees comply with generally accepted rules for fruit trees. Seedlings are planted in early spring. The seat must be such as not to damage the root system. For better rooting, a mixture of humus and sand is added to the hole. Water thoroughly and cover the planting hole with soil. Around the stem of the seedling, the soil is mulched with peat. In autumn, planting is carried out one and a half months before the onset of frost.
Agrotechnology
Care is to removeweeds, loosening the soil and regular watering. It is especially important to monitor newly planted plants. The presence of weeds that are detrimental to plants is not allowed in near-trunk circles. Regular weeding and mulching with humus or peat will contribute to their normal and rapid growth. During the summer season, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied. This agricultural technique is very important for the normal development of mulberries and obtaining good yields. Fertilization is carried out during bud break. One square meter requires fifty grams of nitrophoska. After fertilization, the soil is heavily watered. In early July, stop watering. During this period, feeding should also not be carried out. Enhanced nutrition will contribute to the growth of young shoots, which will freeze in winter.
Cutting
To prevent the tree from growing tall and looking well-groomed, its crown is formed, limiting its growth to three meters. In addition, last year's young growths in winter may freeze slightly. They need to be removed. Mulberry pruning has no individual characteristics. Sanitary and rejuvenating techniques are carried out, which are performed following generally accepted recommendations for fruit trees and shrubs. The mulberry tree tolerates a haircut perfectly. This reception should be regular. Crown thinning is carried out annually. At the same time, diseased, damaged and weak branches are subject to removal. Crossing shoots are also cut off.
Obtaining seed material
White mulberry ripens in summer. Ripe fruits are suitable for seeds. After harvesting, some of the berries are left in the sun. They are slightly overripe. Then they are placed in a container for several days.
Juicy fruits should turn sour. Then they are ground in water. Full-weight seeds sink to the bottom of the container. This mass is rubbed through a fine sieve. The resulting seeds are dried. They must be used throughout the year. They quickly lose their viability.
Seed propagation
Several methods are used to obtain young plants. Possible seed reproduction. This method begins with stratification. Seeds are kept at a temperature of zero or five degrees for a month. Pre-prepare the greenhouse. In early April, mulberry will be sown in it. Reproduction in this way allows you to have forty-centimeter seedlings already in the autumn.
Vaccinations on frost-resistant rootstock
In order to preserve the maternal traits of a variety, grafting will be more effective. This method is more complicated. It requires careful selection of material for reproduction. Quite often, winter mulberry grafting is used. As a stock, young plants of frost-resistant mulberry varieties grown from seeds are used. They are dug up and stored in wet sawdust. Storage temperature should be zero degrees. Scions are also stored in wet sawdust. After vaccination, the planting material is placed in boxes and kept at a temperature of twenty-five degrees. AfterAfter that, they are stored in wet sawdust at zero temperature until spring.
Mulberry grafting in spring is performed on last year's rootstocks. This event falls on the period before bud break. Used cuttings cut in autumn. They are kept all winter in wet sawdust at zero temperature.
Can be grafted in the summer. To do this, use the blanks of the current year.
Propagation by green cuttings
Planting material is harvested in the second decade of June. Green shoots are suitable, the length of which is at least fifteen centimeters. They are cut from non-lignified branches. The blanks are processed by removing the lower leaves and shortening the upper ones by half. Before rooting, the cuttings are kept for six hours in an aqueous solution of heteroauxin.
Or they are placed in a mixture of sand and peat, which is moistened with this solution. Green cuttings are rooted in closed ground. The main condition is high humidity. To create a greenhouse effect, cover with plastic wrap.
Diseases and pests
Like any culture, white mulberry is susceptible to infection. It can be affected by diseases such as bacteriosis, powdery mildew and root rot.
In the spring, preventive spraying of the tree with special preparations is carried out.
A lot of pests in the mulberry tree. Khrushchi, medvedka, mulberry barbel, wireworm and spider mite damage various parts of the plant. To combat them, mechanical andchemical methods. In autumn, fallen leaves must be removed and burned.
Features of harvesting
White mulberry is characterized by an extended fruiting period. Berries ripen unevenly. On the one hand, this is good. For a longer period, the mulberry tree will delight with ripe juicy fruits. However, ripe fruits should be removed in a timely manner. Almost all varieties of white mulberry are poorly stored. They are non-transportable. If the harvest is delayed, the berries fall off, which leads to their spoilage. After removal, the fruits are immediately processed or consumed fresh.
Useful properties of white mulberry
The healing properties of mulberry have been known for a long time. The use of fresh berries helps to improve the general condition of a person. White mulberry contributes to the normalization of the nervous system. It is included in diets for weight loss. Low-calorie berry perfectly normalizes metabolism. In addition, the plant cleanses the intestines and promotes the removal of toxins. Mulberries are most often consumed fresh. It is also subjected to culinary processing. It is suitable for preparations for the future. You can make juices, syrups, jams and marmalades. Wines and liqueurs have an exquisite taste. It is also dried. In this form, it is used instead of sugar. White mulberry is indispensable in cosmetology. It is included in various masks for hair, face and body.
However, with all the advantages, one should not forget about the individual characteristics of the body. Like any drug, the use of mulberryalso has contraindications. Overuse can be harmful. Berries are not recommended for diabetics. Dried mulberry leaves will be more useful for them.
