Fruit fall before ripening (forum)

frui Red Shahtoot mulberry starts with ...
My 5yr old dwarf red shahtoot mulberry grows slowly but well and survives tyhe occasional frost. Masses of fruit but is always drops off before ripening. I'd be very grateful for any advice on what to do about this.

Time: 10th August 2019 4:00pm

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Northcote Vic
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Farouk says...
Hi,

I brought mine last winter & got about 20 fruits off it, most of them held on, I did water it very well & mulched to keep it from drying out.

Have you watered it enough?

Also note mulberry doesn't really need fertilizing, it doesn't really ask for much generally. Have you burn't it or over fed it?

Time: 15th August 2019 4:51pm

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Original Post was last edited: 15th August 2019 4:52pm

About the Author Farouk
SOUTH WENTWORTHVILLE,2145,NSW
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frui Red Shahtoot mulberry says...
Thanks Farouk. Not overfed but possibly underwatered maybe. Will try more mulching. A normal dwarf black mulberry about 2 metres away fruits very well in the chicken run and already has new leaves and young fruit! The Shahtoot is very healthy, nice shape and about 1.5 metres tall but still dormant. It would be nice if some of the fruit stay on! Richard

Time: 17th August 2019 9:51am

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Northcote Vic
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frui Red Shahtoot mulberry says...
One pictures of the Dwarf Black Mulberry and two of the Dwarf Red Shahtoot. Mid July Melbourne.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 17th August 2019 10:38am

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Amanda says...
I have had similar issues. Ours sets such an astounding amount of fruit that it's crazy - and the tree always naturally sheds quite a lot of them - which is a natural form of "thinning the fruit"
This still leaves plenty though - and I find they are better for it.
As Farouk said - make sure it's watered regularly - don't drown it but make sure the surface soil is kept moist and mulched.
Feed it once it has started fruiting - I use a slow release, lower nitrogen pellet (like Dynamic lifter)

If you tip-prune your new growth, after the first fruiting flush - you can usually get a second crop, not as big but better than nothing!

Sometimes hot and dry winds will dehydrate the fruit also.
Our tree is a similar age and holding fruit better now it's older I find. It has a cool root-run and gets a little shade, it's very sheltered.


Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 18th August 2019 12:26pm

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About the Author Amanda
LESCHENAULT,6233,WA
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Amanda says...
I also suspect that this is a side effect of the root stock used to dwarf them?
The scion outgrows the rootstock - and I think this is a restriction to nutrient supply to the top growth.
It's a reverse benching situation.

Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 21st August 2019 1:49am

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LESCHENAULT,6233,WA
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frui Red Shahtoot mulberry says...
Thanks Amanda - again helpful and interesting. I’m hoping this year will be better at last. I have lots of patience and it’s a handsome small tree anyway.
Richard

Time: 25th August 2019 11:02am

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About the Author frui Red Shahtoot mulberry
Northcote Vic
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Posts: 5
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