Subject: Re: Weeping Mulberry tree

From: [email-masked] (Don Bonner)
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 07:40:08 GMT

>I planted a Weeping Mulberry Tree next to my fish pond because it looks 
>ornamental and doesn't get too big.  Last season it was so beautiful but 
>this season it has decided not to "weep" anymore and most of the branches 
>are growing towards the sky.  I have been cutting them off but the seem 
>to grow faster than I can cut.  Should I replant another tree or is there 
>some advice anyone can give me?  I would prefer not to pull the tree up 
>and was thinking of using a "trainer" of some sort to harness the 
>branches that grow upwards.  I have seen on the sidewalk of a shopping 
>mall some Weeping Mulberry trees that were planted some years back and 
>every season they look great.  What went wrong with mine.  Did I perhaps 
>buy a "dud" tree?  
>Grateful to anyone for advise.  Cheryl.

You didn't buy a "dud" tree. Weeping Mulberries are trees that are grafted.  
A long time ago someone found that one of their mulberry trees was growing 
downward instead of up so they grafted the "weeping" branch on to another 
regular mulberry tree.  When the graft started growing they cut all the 
branches off of the regular mulberry and let the weeping branches grow.  What 
has happened with your tree is that the "stock plant" has started to send up 
branches.  This happens all the time, especially when the stock mulberry is 
used when it is too young.  What you should do is trim the upward growing 
branches back as far as possible, including carving out the branch alittle 
into the trunk and then sealing it with tree dressing.  Also weeping 
mulberries need the old growth and dead branches in the interior of the head 
trimmed away each year.  You can literally cut the weeping branches back to 
about 4 buds each year and have healthy growth that summer.  If you do this 
they will keep their umbrella shape better.  Don't try to train those branches 
to grow down as they will send all braches they grow up, it's a lost cause.
Good luck!