Shahtoot Mulberry (forum)

Nyrie DR starts with ...
My Shahtoot Mulberry bought from Daleys about 5 years ago is loaded with fruit, as it was last year. However the fruit has never ripened as the stalks of the fruit whither and the fruit falls off long before it is ripe. I'd love to try this fruit, but so far have never been able to. The tree looks very healthy. The photo is of fallen fruit with the whithened stalks. Please can anyone help?

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Time: 10th October 2010 7:58pm

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About the Author NyrieDR
Wollongong
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John Mc says...
So they ALL fall off?
100's of premature fruit fall off my tree, I was just putting it down to natural attrition. I mean the tree produces far more fruit than it could possibly support, so as the fruit gets larger the tree jettisons what fruit it can't nourish. I still end up with far more fruit than we can handle, and I cut the tree back very severely late winter.
Do you mulch it and did you give it a fruit/citrus/rose (potassium) based of fertilizer late winter?

Time: 10th October 2010 9:25pm

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Nyrie DR says...
Yes they all fall off. I'd really like to try one of these amazing mulberry fruit I've heard so much about! The tree is mulched, is in full sun and has plenty of room to grow. I've never fertilised it, so that is something I'll try. Thanks for your response.

Time: 11th October 2010 1:38pm

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About the Author NyrieDR
Wollongong
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Grubs says...
Red or white?

I have a tiny dwarf red shatoot... only been in the ground 6 months and its fruiting a lot for its size right now (not yet ripe and may all fall off too!)

Time: 13th October 2010 10:27pm

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About the Author Grubs1
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Jo says...
I've had this same problem - every flower/immature fruit falling off! Last year I thought it might be some kind of pest, so this year I watched out for anything suspicious and even put a net over the tree. Same problem though, all the flowers/immature fruit fell off last week.

I have been giving it water and fertilized at the beginning of spring... I too would be extremely grateful if someone could enlighten me about why this happens and how to avoid it! I have googled and googled to no avail...

Thanks in advance!

Time: 14th October 2010 3:59am

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About the Author Jo19
Perth
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Splitmore says...
I have the same issue too. I have 2 red and 2 white Shahtoot mulberrys side by side. the whites have practically retained all their fruit but the reds have both dropped all theirs. Could this possibly be a genetic fault with these plants?? I'm going to fertilise like mad next winter/ spring and see what happens

Time: 19th October 2010 7:58pm

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About the Author Splitmore
Sydney
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amanda says...
"Old fashioned" mulberries are like a weed and seem to thrive on neglect?

I am not sure - but I live in a harsher climate than Perth and my black mulberry has not been fed nor watered since..? (can't remember in truth - maybe 6-8 months ago?) and bears fruit fine. How many neglected trees do you see hanging over fences, old dunny cart laneways etc in Perth (eg) that are loaded?

Splitmore - it might be an interesting experiment for you to deprive 1 each of your red and whites and see what happens perhaps?

Time: 19th October 2010 11:46pm

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About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
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Grubs says...
I have the dwarf red shatoot here and also found that 95% of the fruit fell off after expanding to full size but while still green.

Time: 8th November 2010 4:18pm

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About the Author Grubs1
Melbourne
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Wayne says...
Has anybody thought about it being a fungal disease such as Anthracnose, once the fruit has set it is to late to save it if it's a fungal disease. Protective measures need to be taken before the tree starts flowering

Time: 8th November 2010 6:57pm

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About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
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kim says...
I don't think Antracnose affects shatoot as my red shatoot was not affect by the recent wet weather although I lost all my mango flowers.
I remember hearing on one of the radio gardening programs that lack of trace elements like boron might cause fruit drop

Time: 8th November 2010 9:06pm

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Town Farm says...
I have a shahtoot which I put in last year. It has set a few fruit this year and I have had the opportunity to taste a couple. I envisioned it to be a longer than but fat like a regular mulberry but mine are longish and very skinny? They just don't plump out and juice up. I must admit I have been a bit disappointed in it to date. My dwarf black is amazingly prolific. I planted the Shahtoot with the thought that they would be fruiting at different times but to date I have been disappointed as I say. What I have tasted to date certainly haven't been fat and juicy and the centre stem is quite tough - quite ordinary actually. Anyone out there care to share their tasting comments?

Time: 12th November 2010 2:58pm

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Itdepends says...
I've got the dwarf red shatoot- new in the ground this winter. I'd agree- you shouldn't plant one expecting a larger version of a black mulberry. They're sweeter and a distinctly different (sugary) taste. Not as juicy- but I wouldn't judge it a lost cuase yet- many trees I've grown have rather poor fruit the first couple of years (if they fruit at all).

Daniel

Time: 12th November 2010 10:25pm

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Mich says...
they are thirsty and when fruiting make sure hey are constantly given a drink and good composting every year

Time: 18th September 2011 10:09pm

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Mike says...
I had a dwarf black and red shahtoot next to each for 9 years and both fruited several times a year and neither were real dwarfs.The shahtoots trunk diameter got to about 30cm.I prefered the shahtoot fruit and although had a core were so much bigger and sweeter.Winged vertebrates took most fruit and both trees recently volunteered their spots in the yard for more glamorous tropicals.

Time: 20th September 2011 7:02pm

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Beth says...
I have just picked some of my supposedly red shahtoot mulberries from a 3 year old tree I I bought from the Diggers Club. I thought they would be red but when I tasted the fruit that were dropping off they were sweet and quite pleasant. However, it seems strange to have green mulberries, but it foold the birds. i am wondering if we all bought our Red Shahtoot trees from Diggers?

Time: 21st November 2012 10:49am

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About the Author Beth3
Tasmania
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M Nash says...
The only reason I havent pulled out my white shahtoot is the timber is good for smoking small goods and BBQ.
They are "Orible"

Time: 21st November 2012 11:15am

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
The first few white fruit seem sweet and then it just becomes insipid in taste.. have had a couple of dryish fruit from the dwarf red, hoping it will perform better in years to come.

Time: 21st November 2012 2:31pm

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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snottiegobble says...
Mine was the same Phil. The tree grew like mad, but the fruit lacked er, creedence for a better word. Chopped it down after 2 years of fruiting rubbish!

Time: 25th November 2012 12:01am

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About the Author snottiegobble
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denise1 says...
Some specimens of many fruit types take until second or third crop to develop taste and sweetness. Some will never succeed in that site or maybe never at all anywhere. In NZ there are two strains of Rubus pentalobus on the market. One of them fruits freely while the other needs special pollenater. Perhaps there are several strains of the white shahtoot.

Time: 25th November 2012 11:35am

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About the Author denise1
auckland NZ
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Mulberries of any description are on steroids or something around here.. luckily I can help myself to feral trees growing along the roadsides all over the valley - although the fruit is small there is loads of it, saves precious planting space in my own plot....

Time: 25th November 2012 12:31pm

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Town Farm says...
Further to my post last year, our most recent crop from our Shatoot Mulberry has been great. Beautiful sweet berries which were wonderful to graze on each day. They are finished now but can't wait for next season's crop so it was worth the wait for the tree to come into its own. It is only two years old after all. I should not be so impatient!

Time: 28th November 2012 5:52pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Were they the red or white variety?

Time: 28th November 2012 5:59pm

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Town Farm says...
It is a red tree but I find that even if you pick them a bit under ripe they are still sweet - bonus. Not tart like the black when they are not completely ripe.

Time: 18th December 2012 9:35pm

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Db says...
I'm growing one dwarf red shahtoot mulberry in pot and this season most fruit fell off after growing to full size(3-4inch) but while still green and skinny. Is there any solution to this common issue?

Time: 15th October 2013 9:45am

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About the Author Db
Brisbane
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Db says...
Anyone knows what causes this issue and if there is any fix?

Time: 16th October 2013 1:59pm

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Andrew c says...
Mine are doing the same lots of green fruit but now slowly dropping off before ripening. I have my red shatoot in a pot. Got about 4 ripe fruit last year which tasted sweet! Second year this in the Melbourne climate. Windy as down here in Melbourne and I read somewhere they don't like widy conditions.

Time: 16th October 2013 9:49pm

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vlct says...
Mine also. Although the diameter of the rootstock is only 80mm, compared to a inch thick black English mulberry you'd buy from a bunnings.


Time: 17th October 2013 7:04am

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About the Author vlct
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vlct says...
Sorry 8mm.

Time: 17th October 2013 7:35pm

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glenelg
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M says...
Hi all,

I just want to set the record straight for people experienceing massive fruit drop just before ripening like I did. I found out that the tree needs to be well established before it would hold any fruit to full ripness. I planted my white shahtoot 3 yrs ago and had lots of fruit in the second year. But all dropped before ripening. Earlier this year, the same thing happened. Dropped many unriped fruit and I thought the same would happen like last year. However it did not. Many fruit remained on the tree until they are big, plump and juicy. The uglier the ripe fruit, the sweeter and more flavour. The flavour is like vanilla honey. Sweet like figs. No fibrouus core. Those happen with unripe fruit. The less ripe ones have more of a flavour reminiscent of nashi pears. Today is new year eve. Been harvesting almost daily since late Oct. Main harvest mid Nov and Dec. Still more to come. All good. Looking to get a red shahtoot next. So before anything else, please try to get your tree establish. Hope this helps.

Time: 31st December 2013 11:52am

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sternus1 says...
I personally don't like the shatoots as they are so, so sweet-- but if that's your thing yeah, perfect.

My dwarf black is only a meter tall and is covered in fruit right now, they are nearing ripeness so it will be interesting to see if they drop or not. They really like potash I've found, and the more water they get the more fruit there will be.

Time: 31st December 2013 12:59pm

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About the Author sternus1
Australia
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Townfarm1 says...
I can confirm this. Mine took a couple of years to establish and now the fruit is holding and beautiful. We have had the main crop and now it is having a second flush. Can't wait. Unfortunately I am renovating and I have to relocate the tree so fingers cross it reestablishes without too much stress!!

Time: 17th January 2014 9:51am

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Markmelb says...
My dwarf shatoot tried a late flowering after summer and fruit didn't ripen -now those ends of branches don't have any buds but look definitely alive - new fruiting buds are 3 to 4 nodes below the branch tips - question is will buds form eventually at branch ends - its so slow growing i dont want to prune back to active bud - this will be 3rd summer too.

The photo should give you an idea whats happenning.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 26th August 2015 5:29pm

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Original Post was last edited: 26th August 2015 5:29pm

About the Author Markmelb
MOUNT WAVERLEY,3149,VIC
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Kevin Ho says...
Have same problem with tree now 6 years old. No effect when reduced tree by 30% with heavy pruning except fruits are now much bigger 3grams rather than 1gram. Might try potash feed as last resort. Perhaps sandy soil in Perth, Western Australia not suitable resulting in overbearing and premature fruit drop!!!!

Time: 6th October 2015 1:11am

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Leeming WA
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Pete7 says...
Just to throw some more confusion into this topic.... I bought a red shahtoot at the start of this year, and like many others experienced, fruit started to grow over summer even though the tree was very small.

After reading this thread a few months ago I'd been expecting all the fruit to drop off, but despite being the beginning of April I now have some fruit ripening. Go figure!!!


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Picture: 2

Time: 4th April 2016 12:22pm

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About the Author Pete7
MORPHETT VALE,5162,SA
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Markmelb says...
Pete7 - let me know if your fruit ripens and is Juicy?? My December fruits were a tad dry this year and those coming on late with second crop a dang nasty dry and i throw away -- any ideas out there what I can do to make juicy again? its not thru lack of water as I watered my large white shatoot as fruit were ripening and were ok

Update on dead bit of post 2 up - I just trimmed back to a healthy bud and branch took off ok - Darn slow grower - I think my sapodilla is faster :(

Time: 4th April 2016 6:12pm

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Pete7 says...
Markmelb I picked the two ripe fruit today. As I've never eaten any type of mulberry before today I have nothing to compare it to, but would definitely describe it as juicy. There even seemed to be juice oozing out of the fruit as both fruits were sticky on the outside.

Not much flavour or sweetness though, which I presume may be due to the tree being young and not the right time of year. I can see the potential though!

Time: 5th April 2016 11:00pm

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