Garden Care Guide

Black Mulberry Care

Morus nigra

A long-lived deciduous tree grown for its delicious, large, dark fruit. It likes full sun and deep, fertile, well-drained soil. Because the fruit stains, it should be planted away from walkways.

Hardy · -25 °C / -13 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Pruning: Main pruning time. Remove dry, diseased and inward-growing branches while preserving the tree's natural form. Avoid heavy pruning.
  • Plant protection: Bordeaux mixture or dormant oil (mineral oil) can be applied against overwintering pests and diseases.
  • General care: Clear away pruning debris.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the trunk and branches for scale insects (Coccoidea).
February
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: While dormant, remove dry, broken, crossing and inward-growing branches so that air and light reach the inside of the crown. Avoid hard pruning; thick cuts bleed plenty of sap. Prune after leaf fall, in midwinter, and in moderation.
  • Plant protection: Before the buds wake up, Bordeaux mixture or a copper-based fungicide can be applied.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: Control aphids (Aphidoidea) on young shoots.
  • Frost risk: Young shoots may be affected by severe late frosts.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering begins.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues. Spread mulch 5-7 cm thick over the root zone; it conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Main harvest period. Fruit is picked by hand, one at a time. Collect fruit that has fallen to the ground to prevent disease and pests.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Pruning: After harvest, remove broken or diseased branches only if really necessary.
  • General care: Harvest generally continues this month as well.
  • Pests & diseases: In hot and dry weather, check the leaves for spider mites (Tetranychidae).
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • General care: The tree is completing its summer growth.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Pruning: Not recommended.
  • General care: Propagation by semi-hardwood cuttings can be tried.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Plant protection: Bordeaux mixture can be applied after leaf fall.
  • General care: The leaves turn yellow and begin to fall. Collect the fallen leaves and compost them.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting. Collect fallen leaves; many disease agents and pests overwinter under them.
December
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: Once the tree is fully dormant, you can begin winter pruning toward the end of the month.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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