- 1). Find a location within your landscaping area with full sun or light shade. Ornamental mulberries can grow well in many different soil types, but they will do better when growing in a place with moist but well-drained loam. If you live in a windy area, try to find a location that is at least somewhat protected from the wind. The planting location should also be at least 15 feet away from other trees.
- 2). Dig a hole large enough to fit the roots and soil in the mulberry's pot. Carefully remove the roots and soil from the pot and place them in the hole. Fill any remaining space with the soil you removed from the hole.
- 3). Place the stake deep in the soil close to the plant, making sure that it is firmly embedded. Be careful not to damage the tree's roots beneath. Tie the tree to the stake. As the tree grows, you may need to use more sturdy (or multiple) stakes in order to ensure that the tree does not sustain wind damage. Staking is only necessary when the plant is young, due to their propensity to quickly become top-heavy and unstable.
- 4). Prune the tree in the winter after all its leaves have fallen. If any branches are drooping due to excess length, cut them back slightly so that this does not adversely affect the plant's growth or stability. Every few years the lower branches should be cut back. Avoid pruning heavily, as mulberry trees do not tolerate this well. Avoid making cuts greater than two inches in diameter.
- 5). Provide some water to the tree during excessively dry seasons. Mulberries are highly drought resistant, but even so the plant's health can be negatively impacted by long dry spells.
- 6). Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer yearly to the mulberry tree. Mulberries do not require much fertilizer, and so even this application may prove unnecessary. Trees grown in California generally benefit only from nitrogen fertilizer.
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