Shahtoot dropping fruit (forum)
6 responses
Mike starts with ...
Hi All,
At the end of summer last year I bought a white shahtoot mulberry from Daley's and had it shipped down to Wollongong NSW.
I have very bad, very hard ground so I dug a hole 1 metre square and one metre deep. I put 2 bags of cow manure on the bottom of the hole, one bag of potting mix above it to form a layer and then planted the tree surrounding it with the original soil.
Because the tree went in at the end of summer it remained relatively dormant, only growing about 5 inches in height last year.
I've kept water up to it and about the second week of September it cam out of hibernation and has grown very well. It's original 9 leaves attached to the stalk have now turned into 18 healthy branches about a foot and a half long.
My problem is that it it is dropping it's fruit. I know it's a young tree but from the original 29 mulberries that it produced (yes, I admit it, I count them) It now has only 4 or 5 left.
Does anyone know if this is normal for a young shahtoot or is there something I need to do?
-Mike
Time: 11th October 2007 8:41am
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About the Author Mike4
Wollongong, NSW
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Scott G says...
I had the same problem last year. My 2-year-old Dwarf Red Shahtoot dropped 90% of its crop while they were still green.
The tree was healthy 2m tall by 2m wide and had a 'normal' amount of fruit.
It was much drier then and that stress is what I put is down to, but I don't know for sure.
By contrast this year is wetter and the tree is having a bumper crop. I also think the tree is a little more established so that should be making it a bit happier.
I don't know if it is a characteristic of Red Shahtoots or Shahtoots in general but my fruit comes off the tree very easily. In fact if the tree were shaken much of its fruit would fall off. My recollection is that the normal black type of mulberry tree holds on to its fruit considerably more firmly.
Time: 11th October 2007 9:39am
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About the Author Scott G
Gold Coast
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Mike says...
Thanks Scott, hopefully next year's crop will be hardier. I'm just miffed because I've never actually tried the fruit which some say tastes delicious.
I was concerned that maybe I was giving it too much water but the leaves are a beautiful colour and the tree is growing pretty rapidly. Perhaps it's putting it's energy into growing this season and hopefully next year it will put some effort into fruiting.
Interesting that you say that the fruit comes off to the touch. Perhaps I'll need to protect it from winds too.
Time: 11th October 2007 9:49am
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About the Author Mike4
Wollongong, NSW
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Leona says...
I have two white shahtoots - both young, like yours. Both of mine recently came out of their Winter dormancy, grew some lovely foliage as well as fruit...which has all dropped for me also!!! I did just repot one but the other, I can think of no apparent reason for this...although we have had a few days of heavy winds here of late. My young weeping mulberry, on the other hand, has managed to retain all of its fruit. It seems like perhaps young Shahtoots are more susceptable to fruit drop?
Time: 11th October 2007 11:14am
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About the Author Leona
Perth
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Scott G says...
I would like to add that my Dwarf Red Shahtoot (nearly 3m tall by 3m wide) is producing a big crop of fruit at the moment and some of them fall to the ground. I think the tree is healthy and this is typical.
If I don
Time: 17th October 2007 9:29am
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About the Author Scott G
Gold Coast
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Dianne says...
Does the Dwarf Red Shahtoot need full sun? Can it be in semi-shade?
I am not sure where to put the pot in the garden for the trees best benefit, as I don't have a lot of space. Does it work OK in a largish pot?
Time: 22nd December 2008 10:02am
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About the Author Dianne
Adelaide
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Leona says...
Well, after losing all fruit off both my shahtoots last year, this year I had a lot more success. I think its because of the cooler weather compared to last year and more rainfall = no fruit drop. The fruit was delicious!!!
Time: 26th December 2008 7:34pm
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