All around the Mulberry Tree......

  A couple of years ago, I found a small mulberry sapling growing alongside of the driveway.  I assumed that this was "planted" by a bird that came to visit the yard after dining upon mulberries somewhere in the vicinity.  To say I was pleased would be putting it mildly.  I was simply ecstatic!  Having wild mulberries within easy picking range led to thoughts of all sorts of culinary possibilities.  Then I found another tiny sapling on the other side of the house!  Woohoo!  I was one happy camper!

   Both saplings grew like bad weeds!  Now they are a towering eighteen feet in the air and this morning, Mark and I saw blooms!  The larger of the two trees was covered with the spiky stems covered with tiny flowers.  This means my trees are healthy and are happy where they are planted.  Not that a tree has a whole lot of say where it is positioned but still having a happy fruit tree usually means bountiful fruit!  BUT!  I was told that my blooms are "male" blooms and will not produce the desired berrylike fruit.  Hmmm.  Hopefully, the smaller sapling is a female? Either way, I am quite sure that I can convince Mark to get me another tree if need be.  He loves mulberries about as much as I do!

  Mulberries can be used in the same way you use any other berry.  Pies, jams, jellies, juice or just plucked from the tree, it matters not.  It is sort of like have a huge berry patch but without all of the work or space. Since the tree grows up, not a lot of ground space is used.  Plus, that backbreaking job of picking berries close to the ground makes mulberries all the more enjoyable!