Pruning a Weeping Mulberry

This can be a nice (although genetically invasive, crossing with our native red mulberry, breeding it out of existence!) plant if pruned properly...which almost nobody knows how to do. At long last, and thanks to the amazing Tara Nolan of Savvy Gardening for volunteering her tree AND doing the filming and to Steve Belford for editing it down to something reasonable, here it is. Enjoy! Please subscribe. :-)

[@heatherallum]

Thank you!!! Excellent practical instruction. I'm a florist and gardener. I have no problem going for it and making a cut. I have a mulberry that needs a restorative pruning. This was so helpful and informative. I now understand the growth habit of the mulberry. Watching you clean up and make those cuts were very cathartic!!!😊

[@anthonyb8208]

We had our Weeping Mulberry cut back to the center knuckle, the branches cut were 5 to 6 feet from that point, and as thick as the trunk if not thicker. We thought we'd take the chance of it dying and replacing with something else, it was spreading so wide and getting so heavy it would have eventually fell over anyway, but it survived, so much for the one third rule, maybe we were just lucky. I really enjoyed your video and without a doubt the best explanation on how to properly prune a Mulberry, I'll try to keep ours tight from now on.

[@Wolf-xu1fj]

That tree looks like a bad hair day from hell.

[@seanjamesconsultingdesign2739]

Most of them do! LMAO Hence the video.

[@scotthilborn1518]

Thanks - you addressed all my questions and concerns and provided the "why". Much appreciated!!!

[@seanjames7085]

You are MOST welcome!

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Hi there I have a weeping mulberry tree that hasn’t been pruned in 5 years! You just taught me how to prune my tree! Thank You so much for sharing!

[@lianagilbert61]

at least it draws the eye away from the crazy utility pole and wires.

[@abodabalo]

Thank you very much. I learned new things about pruning and I generally enjoyed your explanations.

[@rainyfoxx4900]

Thank you for all the information

[@Clydesmith2119]

Very great tutorial. I’ll be tackling ours which has not been so for several years. Question when you cut off some of the larger branches with the electric saw. Would you recommend painting the cut off area to protect the fresh cut?

[@seanjames7085]

Except for oak trees, preventing oak wilt, generally we never recommend tree paint. All it does is create a roof for fungi and insects to live under.

[@olgaleonenko9334]

A great video.
I still have to understand (starting at ~1.40): How, when you need a tree smaller, you cut on the inside, and when you want the tree bigger, you cut on the outside....

[@seanjames7085]

Sorry to take so long answering! I always start on the inside regardless of how I want a weeping tree to form. That’s where most of the dead wood is likely to be, and it’s easier to see the interfering wood when you’re looking from the inside.

[@TheSuburbanGardenista]

My goodness, you're ruthless! This was such a great tutorial to really help gardeners understand the whole purpose and process of this - thank you! Do you recommend to cut back the branches above the ground like this, or is this more for aesthetics? I have branches coming right to the ground, which is easy to access for my little girl - is it a problem for the branches to sit on the ground?

[@juliemiscera267]

We have birds that nest in ours.

[@davidq9705]

My wheeping mulberry is starting to bud it is April 23 is it ok to prune or wait till mid June like you said !! I'm assuming wait till June yes??

[@seanjames7085]

The sciences still conflicted. I think you’re OK to do it before the leaves come out, but once they’ve started coming out, you should wait until mid-June.

[@davidq9705]

@@seanjames7085 thank you ..

[@jessicamira4676]

Do you have a pic of this tree now in bloom?

[@seanjames7085]

I don’t, but I will reach out to Tara and see if she can get a photo for me! Good idea!

[@poverofnature3334]

give it up