How to prune fruit mulberry

When to prune mulberry trees

Fruit mulberry trees are pruned three times a year, in summer, autumn and winter. However, no major pruning should be done during the period from summer to the beginning of autumn, otherwise the tree will be affected and prone to disease.

How to prune branches and leaves of fruit mulberry

1. Stem setting : When the mulberry tree seedlings grow to 25 cm, they should be pruned to set the stem. After sprouting, they should be topped when they grow to 15-20 cm. After topping, the side branches that sprout can be topped several times to ensure that they sprout more fruiting branches.

2. Bud removal : Bud removal of fruit mulberry trees requires removing the adventitious buds on the main trunk and the thin buds at the base of the fruiting branches. This will be more conducive to the sprouting of side branches and make the fruiting branches grow thicker.

3. Pinching : Pinching the fruit mulberry trees when they grow 6 tender leaves in late spring and early summer can help the transition from vegetative growth to fruit growth.

4. Pruning : In summer, when the mulberries are ripe and picked, we should prune the new fruiting branches in time. Winter pruning is mainly to remove diseased and weak branches, and old fruiting branches are mainly to cut off the relatively thin branches.

Tips for pruning mulberry trees

After pruning fruit mulberry trees in winter, they should be sprayed with lime sulfur for sterilization. It is best not to prune in winter, as the wounds after pruning will suffer from frost damage or disease. Also, do not prune in the rainy season, as too much rain will make the wounds very susceptible to disease.