Freeze Damage on Mulberry Trees

Freeze damage is a too common state as autumn turns into winter and when spring is beginning to break with the cold. Since their size makes spur of the second protection difficult, fruiting trees such as mulberries (Morus spp.) Could suffer damage from sudden cold snaps, but fortunately most established trees recover from frost damage, though harvests may be impacted.

Frosts and Freezes

Frosts and freezes happen at about the exact same temperature and cause similar problems in plants. Frost damage is the most likely on peaceful, cool nights when plants shed heat into the atmosphere than they have received, leading to plant surfaces dropping to lower temperatures compared to the internal tissues. Freezes are caused by the displacement of warm air by pockets of air that are already below freezing, surrounding plants and also causing their entire structures to drop to temperatures low enough for ice crystals to form internally. Freezes cause much more damage than frosts, however, the type of cold injury isn’t always clearly distinguishable.

Mulberries and Cold

Based on the species and personal tree, mulberries may be exceptionally cold resistant. White varieties frequently tolerate temperatures to -25 degrees Fahrenheit and red mulberries also operate in subzero weather. Black mulberries are more sensitive to damage, with freeze-related issues frequently happening north of U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 7. Although mulberries suffer the same type of damage as other plants in icy weather, a common response for these trees is to immediately drop all their leaves. Other signs of frost or freeze damage comprise splitting or cracking bark and the passing of swelling buds or the sexual organs within of flowers, giving them brown centres.

Later Freeze Care

After a freeze, the best thing to do for an affected plant is nothing. Watering will not help because most plants are wholly or mainly dormant by the time freezing temperatures strike. The exact same rule applies to fertilizer, as most plants will not be able to use it and those that can may start creating tender new growth that’s just about guaranteed to endure during the upcoming drastic drop in temperature.

Pruning and Clean-up

Wait till spring to ascertain the magnitude of your mulberry’s freeze damage. You may discover that damage is only minimal when spring growth starts or you may realize that several sections are in trouble and has to be removed. Take out anything that is clearly dead to protect against an assortment of diseases. Now is the time to add a few general purpose fertilizer, like a 10-10-10, and water greatly. In the unlikely event that your mulberry is killed entirely, think about replacing it with a species or cultivar with considerably higher cold tolerance.

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