Problem with Illinois Everbearing mulberry

16 years ago

Hi,

I received a grafted 2 1/2 ft bareroot IL Everbearing mulberry from Burnt Ridge Nursery in early spring and promptly planted it. It has been mulched and watered weekly. The darn thing will not break dormancy and in fact is seems like the leaf buds have just dried out along with the upper trunk stem. I can find green under the stem further down. In desperation, I pruned the dead stuff back hoping to stimulate some growth, but nada. I'm not sure what healthy mulberry "pith" should look like, but there's a brown center.

Writing to the company, I was told that a freeze can damage the buds and that any growth below the graft should be cut to force adventitious growth above. Well, there is no growth below the graft either to stimulate anything. I'm thinking this tree is a dud. Burnt Ridge didn't offer any replacements in reply to my note.

Is there anything I can do or shall I just kiss the plant goodbye and try again next year? I wish I could find one leafed out for sale locally, but I guess not...

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Comments (2)

bonsaist
16 years ago
Are you in pa or MD?
I find that bare rooted mulberry does better if planted in november versus early spring. What I suggest is to keep the tree moist. We've had hot days with no sufficient rain fall.
There's a technique that I use in growing Bonsai trees that I learned from Japanese masters used on bare rooted trees. After planted the bare rooted tree. wrap the trunk about 3/4 with sphagnum moss, and tie it with a string. Keep it moist, this will help the roots to take and avoid moisture loss in this heat.

Bass
sujiwan_gw 6b MD/PA
Original Author
16 years ago
Bass,
Thanks so much for the advice.

THe tree is on my PA property. I ended up digging it out of the ground and potting it so that I could control the growing environment more until I can see if it will live.

I wasn't aware until B.R. mentioned, that this was a grafted mulberry. I guess the problem with fall planting is that nothing is available for purchase after spring. I've checked to see who else carries them and in each case they were sold out by May.

I'll see what I can do with this potted plant-chile, assuming it stays alive above the graft!
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Problem with Illinois Everbearing mulberry

Comments (2)

bonsaist

sujiwan_gw 6b MD/PA
Original Author

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Problem with Illinois Everbearing mulberry

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bonsaist

sujiwan_gw 6b MD/PAOriginal Author

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sujiwan_gw 6b MD/PA
Original Author