I have the Dwarf mulberries growing. I have not as yet worked with them. I
have had exceptionally good luck on starting trees from cuttings. I use a 5
gallon bucket that I have drilled holes in the bottom. I filled it with
Vermiculite. I treat cuttings even dormant stock I have had in the fridge. I
tag them and shove them as far as I can into the vermiculite. I place three
short bamboo sticks in and pull a clear plastic bag that fits the bucket and
couple feet high. I leave it so I can prop open an area for fresh air when
it gets to hot in the small greenhouse. At present there are persimmon,
apple, and a multitude of other singles sprouting.. Just finished
transplanting 15 figs of 5 varieties. All I was hoping for was one of each
to take. I will next stick some Dwarf mulberries from green stock.
A little more info. My Mulberries are just starting to ripen. My
Chestnuts are just now in blossom, Pawpaws were late but are loaded and
doing very good. To my surprise I have a Hardy Kiwi (Believe to be Geneva II
or Anasnaja) that was really loaded with blossoms. It is the only tree there
that is big enough to have fruit. Nothing close enough to pollinate. I do
not know the kiwi blossoms but they look like they are complete blossoms.
Also that large bush looks like every blossom has taken. It also did the
same 2 years ago. Last year late freeze took the blossoms.
I do not seem to have the problems with getting mulberries to take.
dormant scion or greenwood grafting.
I sure could use the rain many of you are or have gotten. It all seems to
fall apart or split and go both sides of me. Last four months probably a
total of 4 inches
Gordon C. Nofs
Flint, MI.
----Original Message Follows----
From: Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>
Reply-To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] dwarfing mulberries
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 16:29:11 -0500
At 01:57 PM 7/9/2003 -0700, you wrote:
By the way, has anyone grafted any mulberries to dwarf
or contorted rootstock? I would like to keep mine
small.
We planted some 'dwarf' mulberries a number of years back - identity is now
lost, but I don't think they were identified as Geraldi' - just 'dwarf'.
All 4 are 'bushier' than IE, Collier, Wellington, or my M.alba & M.rubra
seedlings, and they're significantly different from one another in growth
patterns that I'm convinced that they're not all the same - in fact, one is
a non-fruiting male that is very vigorous. One of the four is significantly
smaller than the other three, being only 6-7 ft tall, after being in the
ground for probably 7 years. All are twiggy, bushy little things, and are
probably soon to be removed in favor of something more productive. They
don't even really make good 'climbing' trees for the kids, due to the
multiple small, sharp twigs they put out all over their branches.
I sent Gordon some cuttings from the smallest one a couple of years back;
think he was intending to try them as a dwarfing interstem. Maybe he'll
let us know how that worked, though we may not be far enough along to really
get a good idea of success or failure.