Benefits of mulberries: What you should know while planting them in home garden

Mulberry fruits, packed with medicinal and nutritional value, are a favourite among children. They contain vitamins (C, K, E), potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. They help lower cholesterol, especially bad cholesterol. They protect the health of the eyes and heart, regulate blood pressure, and boost immunity. They also help maintain youthfulness.

Tea made from mulberry leaves also has significant medicinal properties, but should only be used as advised by a healthcare professional. Numerous value-added products can be made from mulberries, including jams, jellies, wine, shakes, syrups, and leaf tea. Mulberries are also used in the manufacture of medicinal and cosmetic products.

Mulberries are easy to grow without much care and thrive in various climates. The leaves are excellent animal feed, and their use in sericulture (silk production) is significant since they are the primary food source for silkworms.

Belonging to the Moraceae family, mulberries resemble blackberries. There are mulberry varieties with fruits in red, white, and black colors, some growing up to 70 feet tall.A location with good sunlight is ideal for growth. Well-drained, moist soil rich in nutrients is best.

One-year-old branches, 10-12 cm long, can be used as planting material. These cuttings should be taken from healthy, disease- and pest-free, high-yielding trees. Plant the cuttings in a soil mixture enriched with Trichoderma-treated cow dung. The cuttings will root and sprout within two weeks. Prepare the ground, dig a hole, and fill it with Trichoderma-treated cow dung, bone meal, and neem cake. After a week, add some VAM (Vesicular-arbuscular Mycorrhizae) and plant the cutting. Diluted fermented press mud and cattle manure can be applied once a month. Apply NPK fertilizer (5 grams per litre of water) four times a year as a foliar spray.

Although mulberries may bear fruit within 4-5 months of planting the cuttings, it's best to allow fruiting only after the plant is one year old. Prune branches to facilitate easy harvesting. Remove dry and pest/disease-affected branches.