How to prune potted mulberries? Pruning methods and technical points

When to prune potted mulberries

The pruning of potted mulberries is mainly summer pruning and winter pruning. In summer, when the mulberries are ripe and picked, we need to carry out summer pruning in time, mainly shortening the old fruiting branches to promote the sprouting of new fruiting branches.

Generally, winter pruning is mainly to remove thin and weak branches and diseased and insect-infested branches. The remaining old fruiting branches should also be appropriately pruned, focusing on cutting off the relatively thin tips of the branches.

How to prune the branches and leaves of potted mulberries

1. Pruning: Usually done during the winter dormancy period, pruning the dead branches, dead stumps, diseased and insect-infested branches, weak branches, etc. The cut should be close to the intersection of the branches and the cut should be smooth.

2. Tip pruning: Tip pruning is done during the dormant period of the mulberry tree, and the part of the tip of the mulberry branch with insufficient tissue is cut off.

3. Thinning buds: When the mulberry tree's shoots grow to 10-15 cm in height, it is necessary to thin out the dense buds so that the remaining branches can grow thicker.

4. Plucking: During the spring silkworm period, the tender core at the top of the new shoots needs to be removed. If it is a late-maturing mulberry tree, the core picking time is generally done on a sunny day about 10-15 days before the leaves are used.

Potted mulberry pruning tips

The first pruning is done after the leaves of the potted mulberry trees fall in autumn, mainly to cut off the thin branches to avoid nutrients being absorbed and wasted by small branches. Pruning is then done before sprouting in early spring of the following year. Mainly pruning the tops of the branches is beneficial to suppress the apical dominance of the mulberry trees and promote the germination of more leaves and flower buds, which is conducive to fruiting.

Precautions for pruning potted mulberries

When mulberry trees are relatively small, they need to be pruned every year. In the beginning, pruning is mainly to shape the tree so that it can bear fruit faster.

When the mulberry trees begin to bear fruit, the injured branches and the branches that grow vigorously and densely should be thinned out after each harvest in order to cultivate some fruit-bearing mother branches.

In each pruning, in addition to pruning some branches and leaves that grow too densely and branches that are relatively old, the method of reduction should also be used.