Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

On 25/07/2014 20:29, Pam Moore wrote:

Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.

I don't although I know where a couple are. Unfortunately all the
berries on them are pre sold to a local Michelin starred restaurant.

I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.

These are medium gnarled tree sized and over a century old. I'd say from
memory about 20' tall but next time I am there I will check.

I expect it would reach fruiting size faster planted in the ground.

3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

A college at my university had an incredibly old mulberry tree the size
you would normally associate with a full grown horse chestnut. The fruit
unfit for eating made wonderful hand thrown paint balls too.

Regards,
Martin Brown

In message , Pam Moore
writes

Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

I have had a mulberry tree for the last twenty-four years. It's not in a
pot but is planted in my front garden in Reading. It's pretty big now
and usually has masses of fruit, although this year most of the flowers
fell off before they were fertilised.

David

--
David Rance writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

On 2014-07-25 19:29:42 +0000, Pam Moore said:

Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

Yes, we have one on the big lawn, Pam. It's 13 years old and fruits
rather well now. It had 3 or 4 fruits the first year after it was
planted, when it was only 3 or 4 feet tall. They are such beautiful
trees and I read recently of a dwarf variety but I think that's only
available in USA at present.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Fri, 25 Jul 2014 22:50:28 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 2014-07-25 19:29:42 +0000, Pam Moore said:

Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

Yes, we have one on the big lawn, Pam. It's 13 years old and fruits
rather well now. It had 3 or 4 fruits the first year after it was
planted, when it was only 3 or 4 feet tall. They are such beautiful
trees and I read recently of a dwarf variety but I think that's only
available in USA at present.

I remembered that you have one and when my friend and I visited Hill
House you had a potted one for sale and I so nearly bought it. bought
this one soon after! I would love to have it in the ground but just
don't have the space so it is yet another bonsai!
It was Charles 2nd I think who wanted to start an English silk
industry, and bought in lots of young trees and had them planted in
all the stately homes, only to find that it is the white mulberry
which is favoured by the silk worns. They feed perfectly well on black
mulberry though. I have 2 skeins of silk to prove it!

On 26/07/2014 5:29 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

I have a mulberry. It's about 15 ft tall and I have to fight the birds
to get any fruit. I've read that they can be propagated from winter
cuttings and have been wondering how to do that.

On 26/07/2014 8:10 AM, Pam Moore wrote:

It was Charles 2nd I think who wanted to start an English silk
industry, and bought in lots of young trees and had them planted in
all the stately homes, only to find that it is the white mulberry
which is favoured by the silk worns. They feed perfectly well on black
mulberry though. I have 2 skeins of silk to prove it!

I've also used my black mulberry to feed silk worms and, like you foudn
that they eat the black mulbery leaves and grow well.

I never managed to harvest their fibre though even though I am a
spinner. I really enjoyed raising the silk worms - they have the most
gorgeous little faces once they reach the moth stage.

On 2014-07-26 09:16:14 +0000, Chris Hogg said:

On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:53:50 +1000, Fran Farmer
wrote:

On 26/07/2014 5:29 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

I have a mulberry. It's about 15 ft tall and I have to fight the birds
to get any fruit. I've read that they can be propagated from winter
cuttings and have been wondering how to do that.

http://mulberrytrees.co.uk/propagation/ Alternatively, use
'truncheons', i.e. substantial twigs or small branches.
This, from http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=642 : "Morus roots
well from larger pieces of wood up to 10cm (4in) thick. In winter,
plant two- to four-year-old ‘truncheons’ straight into the ground in
their permanent positions".

IIRC silkworms prefer white mulberry. I remember reading that early
attempts to get a silk industry started in the UK were thwarted
because they had imported the wrong sort of mulberry trees, but I
can't find any confirmation of that.

On the Monarchy web site there's a passage saying that, in 1609, King
James I ordered the growing of thousands of Morus nigra and that the
story is that, while the worms will eat these leaves, they do better on
Morus alba which doesn't grow so well in this country. I know that
when we were in China we went to a silk factory and I was sad and
rather appalled to see that the worms were boiled!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:56:51 +1000, Fran Farmer
wrote:

On 26/07/2014 8:10 AM, Pam Moore wrote:

It was Charles 2nd I think who wanted to start an English silk
industry, and bought in lots of young trees and had them planted in
all the stately homes, only to find that it is the white mulberry
which is favoured by the silk worns. They feed perfectly well on black
mulberry though. I have 2 skeins of silk to prove it!

I've also used my black mulberry to feed silk worms and, like you foudn
that they eat the black mulbery leaves and grow well.

I never managed to harvest their fibre though even though I am a
spinner. I really enjoyed raising the silk worms - they have the most
gorgeous little faces once they reach the moth stage.

I persuaded the then Lullingstone silk farm in Dorset to harvest the
silk from the coccoons, in the interests of education! I had raised
the silkworms with a class at school. I was raiding trees in our town
(with permission!) to access enough leaves!
I never got further than skeins, which I stiil have.

Pam near Bristol

On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:53:50 +1000, Fran Farmer
wrote:

On 26/07/2014 5:29 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the

last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

I have a mulberry. It's about 15 ft tall and I have to fight the birds
to get any fruit. I've read that they can be propagated from winter
cuttings and have been wondering how to do that.

I've heard that you can insert a thick piece of mulberry branch into
the ground and it will root. I've never had the opportunity to try it!

On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 14:52:04 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 2014-07-26 09:16:14 +0000, Chris Hogg said:

On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:53:50 +1000, Fran Farmer
wrote:

On 26/07/2014 5:29 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

I have a mulberry. It's about 15 ft tall and I have to fight the birds
to get any fruit. I've read that they can be propagated from winter
cuttings and have been wondering how to do that.

http://mulberrytrees.co.uk/propagation/ Alternatively, use
'truncheons', i.e. substantial twigs or small branches.
This, from http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=642 : "Morus roots
well from larger pieces of wood up to 10cm (4in) thick. In winter,
plant two- to four-year-old ‘truncheons’ straight into the ground in
their permanent positions".

IIRC silkworms prefer white mulberry. I remember reading that early
attempts to get a silk industry started in the UK were thwarted
because they had imported the wrong sort of mulberry trees, but I
can't find any confirmation of that.

On the Monarchy web site there's a passage saying that, in 1609, King
James I ordered the growing of thousands of Morus nigra and that the
story is that, while the worms will eat these leaves, they do better on
Morus alba which doesn't grow so well in this country. I know that
when we were in China we went to a silk factory and I was sad and
rather appalled to see that the worms were boiled!

Oops, sorry. James 1 not Charles 2.
The coccoons have to be boiled, first to kill the larvae which would
otherwise eat their way out, thus spoiling the continuous thread, and
second that the larvae are considered a delicacy!!!

On 26/07/2014 7:16 PM, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:53:50 +1000, Fran Farmer
wrote:

On 26/07/2014 5:29 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
Who has a mulberry tree? I think Sacha does.
I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8. I hope the birds don't get
them. I love mulberries. When I could drive I used to go round to
gardens which I knew had mulberries at ripe-fruit time but can't do
that now and the 2 I knew of in my town have gone, sadly.

I have a mulberry. It's about 15 ft tall and I have to fight the birds
to get any fruit. I've read that they can be propagated from winter
cuttings and have been wondering how to do that.

http://mulberrytrees.co.uk/propagation/ Alternatively, use
'truncheons', i.e. substantial twigs or small branches.
This, from http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=642 : "Morus roots
well from larger pieces of wood up to 10cm (4in) thick. In winter,
plant two- to four-year-old ‘truncheons’ straight into the ground in
their permanent positions".

Thank you for those links. I'll take a big cutting and put it in the
ground and see if i can get it to take.

On 27/07/2014 12:26 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
On Sat, 26 Jul 2014 14:52:04 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

I know that
when we were in China we went to a silk factory and I was sad and
rather appalled to see that the worms were boiled!

Oops, sorry. James 1 not Charles 2.
The coccoons have to be boiled, first to kill the larvae which would
otherwise eat their way out, thus spoiling the continuous thread, and
second that the larvae are considered a delicacy!!!

Boiling to kill the pupae is only one way of harvesting the silk. There
is also the option of waiting for the grub/worm to emerge and then
proceeding to degum the cocoon and then spin the fibre left in the
remainder of the cocoon. The silk isn't as long as the boiled cocoon
but by letting the worms/grubs eat their way out, there is a new batch
available to be raised. It's bit like keeping a herd of cattle by
ensuring that they reproduce.

On 26/07/2014 5:29 AM, Pam Moore wrote:

I have one in a pot, about 3 feet high, aobut 10 years old.
3 years ago it had 3 fruit. I put it in a bigger pot, no fruit the
last 2 years. This year it has at least 8.

Long, but it is mulberry related:
This year, the show 'Gardening Australia' is celebrating 25 years of
being on air. Last night there was a replay of one of the presenters
favourite segments from past years.

The segment involved a visit to a former commercial, unheated,
greenhouse complex - huge, huge greenhouses - bigger than the average
urban house block. These greenhouses are situated in Melbourne,
Australia which has the unenviable reputation of 'having 4 seasons in
one day' because the weather is so variable.

The elderly owners had retired and leased out most of the greenhouses
but retained 2 for their personal use which a son had taken in hand and
turned over to meet the interests of the elderly parents. The elderly
man's greenhouse had been completely laid with fake turf and he and his
cronies spent many an hour in there playing lawn bowls.

The elderly ladies greenhouse had been turned over to growing tropical,
subtropical and other fruits and vegetable.

One of the plants grown there was a black mulberry. This was not a big
mulberry - perhaps about 7 ft tall I suspect by comparing it to the
height of the presenter. I know she is over 6 ft tall. The owners said
that the mulberry fruited all year long and they managed to achieve this
by constant trimming back of the tip growth of the mulberry tree after
they ate the current fruit - IIRC, they said it took about 5-6 weeks for
the plant to produce the fruiting flowery thing (infloresence??) after a
trim.

These mulberries were huge. As I mentioned, the presenter is over 6 ft
tall and when she held the mulberry in her hand, they were longer than
the bottom 2 joints on her middle finger - only a bit of the tip of her
finger poked out beyond the mulberry. She was trying to eat the
mulberries in two bites and leaning forward so she didn't drop any juice
no doubt. The elderly man said to her that she must pop them into her
mouth in one go. His cheeks were bulging when he demonstrated how to
eat one mulberry. I was envious. Ive never produced any mulberries
that big. I decided I'm going to try theri tip pruning trick over the
coming summer months to see if I can stretch my harvest.