How to prune a mulberry tree? Master the right methods and techniques

Mulberry is a fruit whose market sales have been very good in recent years, and the economic value of the dried fruit in particular is very attractive. So when we grow mulberry trees, we see that fruit farmers prune them. So why should mulberry trees be pruned? What benefits does pruning bring? How should a mulberry tree be pruned? Let's learn about it together below.

1. When is the best time to prune a mulberry tree?

The mulberry tree has relatively strong growth and healing ability, so in fact it can be pruned at any time. However, to avoid harming the mulberry tree and affecting the later yield and the quality of the mulberries, the best pruning time is winter and early spring before the branches and leaves sprout. In winter, a relatively large-scale, comprehensive pruning is carried out, while in early spring the main task is supplementary pruning of the branches and leaves that were not pruned properly in winter.

2. Reasons for pruning a mulberry tree

Why prune a mulberry tree? First, pruning the branches and leaves is mainly to regulate the relationship between the growth and fruiting of the mulberry tree, so as to promote the growth of the mulberry tree and exert a certain inhibiting effect on tree vigour, ultimately extending its service life and promoting high yield and high quality. Second, it is to dwarf the mulberry tree, and at the same time it can regulate the distribution of nutrients among the branches, forming a high-quality mulberry tree.

3. Pruning methods

There are quite a few methods for pruning a mulberry tree. The first is the summer cutting method, which is generally carried out after the mulberries are harvested and is a method of cutting away all the above-ground parts to cultivate new fruiting mother branches. The next is the method of thinning shoots and removing sprouts, which is mainly carried out in early spring and is the work of wiping off the newly grown tender buds or thinning out the new shoots that are growing too densely. Then there is the method of pinching off the growing tip and cutting the shoot tips, which is mainly done at the appropriate time to remove the terminal buds of the mulberry tree, promote flower bud differentiation, control excessive vegetative growth of branches and leaves, and increase the fruit-setting rate. The method of removing secondary branches is to prune the fruiting mother branches to maintain the openness between the tree shape and the canopy. The thinning method is the most common pruning method; it mainly prunes the branches and leaves that are growing too densely as well as some old branches and diseased branches, promoting the growth of new branches and reducing the consumption of nutrients. Finally, there is the reduction method, which is also relatively commonly used in the pruning of many fruit trees at present; it mainly appropriately shortens perennial branches and leaves so as to improve metabolism, promote growth, and also play an inhibiting role.

4. Benefits of pruning

There are many benefits after pruning a mulberry tree. First, it can ensure that the tree body is full and the framework is firm, forming a relatively balanced state. Second, it can improve the openness within the tree body, increase photosynthesis, and promote the growth and development of the fruit tree. Then, it can also reduce the consumption of nutrients, allow nutrients to be supplied in a concentrated way, and improve the utilization rate of nutrients. It can also extend the full fruit period and regulate the contradiction between branch growth and fruiting. Finally, it can also play a role in preventing pests and diseases and reduce the management burden.

The above is all the content about mulberry tree pruning that the editor wants to share with you today. I believe that after reading the above, everyone has a general understanding. If you want to learn about specific pruning techniques, you can continue to follow us.