Black Beauty Mulberry Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on July 19, 2022

Planting instructions

Plant your black beauty mulberry tree in a spot that receives at least four hours of sun a day, in soil that drains well. Unpot your sapling and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and three times as wide. Place the tree in the hole, and, while keeping it upright and steady, fill in around it with topsoil. Tamp the soil down as you work to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, such as bark chips, to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth.

Watering and nutrients

For its first year, water your plant once a week, giving it about an inch of water each time. Once established, it should only need supplemental watering during times of extreme dryness or drought. If you’re uncertain about whether it needs watering, check the soil 2 inches below the surface. If it’s dry there, give your tree a drink. Fertilize with a slow-release balanced product, such as a 10-10-10 formula, in early spring, before new growth appears.

Pollination

Mulberry trees are self-fertile, so you only need one tree to have a harvest. However, the size and quality of the harvest will increase if you have more than one tree. Mulberry trees are pollinated by the wind, although pollinating insects may also play a role.

Pruning

The black beauty mulberry needs little pruning. Monitor your tree for dead, diseased, or damaged branches, which should be removed when you see them. If you wish your mulberry to grow as a tree, prune out all suckers and secondary branches from the base of the trunk, leaving one primary branch to become the central leader. If you’d rather your mulberry take a bush form, prune out all but three to five of the strongest main branches, allowing these to grow and flourish.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Pests that prey on mulberry trees include the giant whitefly, which can be deterred by spraying a blast of water on the trees, and scale insects, which are best controlled by the application of horticultural oil. Diseases of the mulberry include bacterial blight and canker diseases. To control blight, prune out infected branches, avoid watering overhead, and keep the area around the base of the tree free of leaf debris. Other animals that may visit your mulberry trees include songbirds and small mammals, who snack on the berries.

Harvesting

Ripe mulberries are sweet and juicy — taste one before determining if it’s the right time to harvest. They can be handpicked or you can lay a tarp or sheet under the tree and shake the branches gently. The ripe fruit is fragile, so avoid packing the berries tightly together in your picking bucket. Store unwashed in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze them for future use.

Achieving maximum results

Mulberries are easy-care trees, but a little extra work when planting can help you guide your tree to successful growth. When you purchase your tree, leave it in a sheltered, shady spot such as a patio or back porch for several hours the first day, then a few more the next, until the tree is fully acclimated to your location. Water it regularly while acclimatizing. To encourage robust growth when young, it helps to mix some well-rotted manure or compost into the topsoil that you use to fill in around the mulberry’s roots, but avoid fertilizing a newly planted tree, and do not prune back a tree that’s just been planted. Fertilizing should be done in the early spring, although pruning can occur anytime you see branches that are damaged or dead. Mulberries are prone to bleeding, so avoid pruning out any branch that is more than 2 inches in diameter.

Compare Similar Products