Dwarf Mulberry (forum)

Sue Campton starts with ...
My Dwarf Mulberry is coming into its fourth Spring with a bumper crop, however, every year the fruit ends up drying out and turning black.

It is starting to happen again this year!

The tree is planted in a large free-standing corregated iron tub and I believe has adequate sun, fertiliser and water.

Regards, Sue

Time: 24th September 2007 1:01pm

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About the Author Sue Campton
Albury
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Leona says...
Sounds like its not getting enough water. Also, maybe check that it doesnt need repotting yet.

Time: 24th September 2007 7:15pm

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About the Author Leona
Perth
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Leona says...
I just wanted to add that maybe the iron tub is making the root system too hot (and contributing to drying it out).

Time: 24th September 2007 7:15pm

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About the Author Leona
Perth
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Correy says...
Can you give us a picture Sue?

Time: 25th September 2007 9:45am

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Woolloongabba, QLD
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Sue Campton says...
I'll take a photograph when I get home from work.

Time: 25th September 2007 10:13am

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Albury
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Sue Campton says...
Thank you for your responses. I'll increase the watering, but I don't relish having to replant!

I have other fruit trees in pots doing well: lemon, mandarin, fig, apricot and nectarines as I have a small yard. I'll be digging up the dwarf weeping avocado and putting it in a pot - two years' old and still struggling - frost and hot sun.

Time: 25th September 2007 10:21am

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Albury
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Sue Campton says...
Correy - Thanks for your interest - I hope these pictures are clear enough. Disappointing that there are so many to photographs!
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 25th September 2007 9:35pm

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Albury
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Greg says...
Hi Sue, this may be a climatic response or drying out when fruit are developing, the plant naturally aborting the young fruit. The dwarf black mulberry sets parthenocarpically ie without pollination and hence no seeds. Such fruit is very sensitive to being aborted. A suggestion would be try pruning after first fruit set to encourage a 2nd flowering when a little more warmer and see if you can get fruit to hold. Would be interesting to get feedback from colder regions with the dwarf black mulberry fruit set.

Time: 25th September 2007 10:05pm

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About the Author Greg
Kyogle
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Sue Campton says...
Greg, Albury weather is very varied, with cold winds off the snow, frosty nights and some warm days. I'll up the water and prune after this cropping, and when I eat a mulberry I'll let you know. Thanks for your help.

Time: 26th September 2007 9:02am

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Paul Ridding says...
Hi, I have the same problem and I am located on the Mid-North Coast of NSW at Kendall. Plenty of fruit but the majority shrivel up and turn black...

Time: 26th September 2007 9:21am

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About the Author Paul Ridding
Kendall, NSW
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Sue Campton says...
Then you know exactly how I feel Paul, but I'm living in hope that this will be the year I eat mulberries, especially now I will be trying out all the advice received.

Time: 26th September 2007 12:31pm

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Albury
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Kingo says...
I have one of these and while it was in a pot it would fruit heavily and do the same thing, the way i fixed it was to pull off half of the fruit then the remaining fruit flourished to about the size of my thumb. It seems that they fruit so heavy for a small tree that they just can't develop the fruit to full.I have just planted it out so I'll see what happens next year.

Time: 26th October 2007 11:49pm

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Biloela
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Sue Campton says...
Thanks for the email Kingo - I improved the pot culture by adding water saving granules and cristals, a couple of litres of liquid chook poo, a layer of fine bark and increased the water supply. I have collected 2kg so far for jam and eaten heaps. Fruit is small to medium size so when the 2nd crop comes along I will experiment with removing some of the fruit as it forms. Couldn't possibly bring myself to thin out my first real crop!!

Time: 29th October 2007 8:17am

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About the Author Sue Campton
Albury
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