Mulberry Bush

[happyigloo]

Hi

Just wondered if anyone knows if you can grow Mulberry Bushes in Ireland or somwhere similar climate wise. I think I read somewhere that they are better suited to warmer climes. Never even tasted one but would love to try something new....

Just thought I'd ask before I go chasing one down....

Thanks

happyigloo

[Odsox]

We had a mulberry tree when we lived in Kent, it produced masses of fruit every year and didn't need any attention at all.
I didn't plant it and it was probably about 100 years old, not a bush but a fair sized tree.
I can't see why one wouldn't grow in Galway as they require a cold(ish) winter to fruit, but are quite late flowering in the spring.

[Millymollymandy]

What is the fruit like and any good eaten raw, or better for preserves?

Whenever I hear about mulberry trees I just think of silk worms!

[Odsox]

What is the fruit like and any good eaten raw

Nothing special, rather on the sharp side .. very similar to red currants.
You have to wait until the fruit turns dark reddish black and falls off the tree before you can eat them raw otherwise they are far too sour.

[Millymollymandy]

Cheers Odsox, think I'll stick to my redcurrants then! I was just curious.

[happyigloo]

Cheers guys.

You wouldn't recommend them Tony?

I read there are 3 varieties - some are better than others. I wonder if they come into their own in jams etc..?

[Odsox]

You wouldn't recommend them Tony?

Well, what can I say ?
Some people rave about fruit and veg that I can't see any point in growing.
I would put mulberries in the same league as wonder berries, worcester berries and medlars and I'm sure to some people they are their favourite fruit.
Maybe you should ask yourself why there is no mulberry jam in shops.

[happyigloo]

I heard is because of when they crop - not all at once but a little here and a little there - so it's just not commercial. But maybe they ain't great either!

Anyone like em? Only reason I was thinking of it was a girl at work was raving about them. I'd never heard of them and love the idea of getting stuff you don't get in shops. Variety is the spice o' life and all that.

Cheers guys.

[Odsox]

They grow easy enough from cuttings, so if you know where there is a tree you could get one yourself for nothing.
Then if you don't like them there's no money wasted.

[grahamhobbs]

Mulberries are lovely, they used to be quite common tinned when I was younger, I remember them as somewhere between a blackberry and a raspberry, quite mellow. But I guess they are a difficult crop commercially, I don't think there is an easy way of getting them off a big tree (I don't think they fruit until they are quite old) other than shaking the branches and letting them fall when they are ready, but then they can easily damage when they hit the ground (people used to put white sheets out to catch them, but the sheets got stained).
But they are a very beautiful tree in it's own right, so if I had the space I would plant one and the fruit would be a nice bonus.

[Durgan]

Mulberries are lovely, they used to be quite common tinned when I was younger, I remember them as somewhere between a blackberry and a raspberry, quite mellow. But I guess they are a difficult crop commercially, I don't think there is an easy way of getting them off a big tree (I don't think they fruit until they are quite old) other than shaking the branches and letting them fall when they are ready, but then they can easily damage when they hit the ground (people used to put white sheets out to catch them, but the sheets got stained).
But they are a very beautiful tree in it's own right, so if I had the space I would plant one and the fruit would be a nice bonus.

I agree with your comments. There is a fruiting mulberry in my garden about 9 feet tall. The fruit is difficult to pick, which is why it is not really a commercial crop. I pick a handful of berries, when walking in the garden, and they are really quite tasty. There are many growing on front lawns and nobody picks the berries, probably due to the minor labor involved.

There is a very large tree in my area and the berries are about three inches deep under the tree during the season. The owner scoops them up and carefully cleans and makes pies. She has chickens which clean up the mess very effectively. Wild birds do poop on the berries, particularly robins.

Some people complain about birds dropping the berries on their decks and pools and dislike the stains.

But to each his own.