Why Is My Mulberry Tree Not Fruiting?

There are a few possible reasons why your mulberry tree may not be fruiting. There could be problems in the pollination process, stress, infection with insects, problems in fertilizing, their leaves turning brown, and frost. In this article, we’ll discuss more details about the possible causes of no fruit on a mulberry tree and how you can get it fruiting again. Read on!

Factors That Cause Mulberry Not Bearing Fruit

Pollination Process

Lack of pollination can be a cause. If you compare your fruits with others around you, it can be determined that there might not be enough pollen from nearby trees because most growers use commercial. Commercial pollination usually comes from a farm nearby. Plants grown on farms are not likely to produce as many flowers because of the chemicals used by farmers. Therefore, you should consider looking for pollen from another tree to increase fruit production and attract more wildlife. It will help establish your orchard in nature if you can use natural means of fertilization. Ensure that all of the flower buds are open and that the stamen (the male part of a flower) has at least one fertilization mark.

Frost

Most likely, frost is the main reason you don’t see fruit. Frost can be tricky and sneaky because we don’t always pay close attention early in the season. You might see flowers, but the ovary inside might be dead and brown if you cut one open.

Brown, Dry Leaves

If you notice your leaves are brown and crumpled down on the bottom (after the flowers drop off), it could be a lack of moisture or something else.

Insect Infestation

The fungal disease is characterized by greatly discoloring older growth, while new growth may remain somewhat colorless until uprooted and killed in late June/early July. Young trees have been impacted because they are old and have been weakened due to the virus long before it is visible.

Plant Stress 

A plant stressed by other plants nearby or too much water, fertilizer, or root competition can be infected by this disease. Since multiple factors affect your tree, many different combinations of these aren’t always obvious at the first visit, so try to cover all the bases on different visits.

Salinity Stress

It can make mulberry plants less productive by stopping their growth, photosynthesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and antioxidant enzymes and causing changes in their shape, chemistry, and anatomy. This, in turn, causes water and osmotic stresses, which cause salt ions to build up and make plants sick. Also, salinity stress leads to a lack of water, which lowers leaf turgor pressure, stomatal closure, and stomatal conductance. This slows down the rate of photosynthesis.

Fertilization

Different soils usually have different requirements, so sometimes your tree might need more or less fertilizer depending on what’s currently happening in its ecosystem. Suppose the business end of another host plant is touching yours. In that case, it may interfere with fruiting, decreasing yield and increasing the chances of infection.

When Do Mulberry Plants Flower?

Depending on location, mulberry trees may bloom between June and September. Some mulberry trees are dioecious, producing both male and female flowers. However, there are gender-fluid cultivars of mulberry trees. They can transform between males and females and even switch between the sexes within the same season.

When Do Mulberry Trees Fruit?

Depending on the species, cultivar, and geographical location, the trees produce fruit between June and August. Be mindful that you may have a bountiful harvest, but a tree with many immature fruits one day may have none the next.

This is commonly the result of a phenomenon known as “fruit drop,” in which the tree cannot hold onto its fruits if it does not receive enough water, and consequently, the fruits fall off.

How Quickly Does a Mulberry Tree Bear Fruit?

If you try to grow mulberry trees from seeds, which is a fun endeavor, you may be fortunate enough to see the first fruits in the fifth or sixth year. However, it is not uncommon for the process to take ten or more years. It depends on the species, location, and health of the tree.

If you propagate cultivar whips from older trees, they may begin bearing fruit sooner than those grown from seed. Again, do not be surprised if it takes longer.

Depending on the tree’s maturity, sapling-planted trees will also bear fruit much sooner, sometimes in the first year.

In the first few years, young trees typically produce between 4 and 11 pounds of fruit. Mulberry trees at least 20 or 30 years old and fully mature can produce more than 600 pounds.

How Long Do Mulberry Trees Take To Start Making Fruit?

Some kinds of mulberry trees can bear fruit for more than 100 years, as long as they stay healthy. However, they don’t bear fruit for 25 to 50 years most of the time.

How Can You Increase The Mulberry Tree’s Fruit Production?

• Several factors can encourage trees to produce more fruit.
• When planting trees, ensure the soil is healthy. It must be nutrient-dense, loamy, and well-drained for the roots to remain moist but not soggy.
• Potassium-rich fertilizers are beneficial for flower growth. More flowers yield more fruit. In spring, try feeding a 5-8-5 mix.
• A common error is over-pruning trees. The following year, the buds that appear on one-year-old wood will grow and produce flowers. Your blossom will be severely compromised if you remove all of this growth.
• Try to prune only diseased or dead branches and those that are interfering with or growing too close to others.
• Only prune trees during the winter, when they are dormant, to avoid introducing disease and causing sap to drip.
• Pollination can be difficult if a mulberry tree has only female flowers. Without female flowers, a tree cannot produce fruit.
• Many mulberry varieties are self-fertile, as they have both male and female flowers, and others do not require pollination.