Moving From 10b>>5a/b - Mulberry Cut Back to Travel??

[Firstflush]

I may be moving from Southern Ca to the great white north beyond the wall. We had a warm spell that pushed some growth on 2 morus nigras I will be talking. One is in a pot and one is in the ground. They are not even close to dropping leaves yet…and the ground tree actually is trying to set fruit.

Do I want to cut them back now for travel? Ground tree is about 3x4 and container tree is about 2x3. They may bud out now then they may potentially go into dormancy immediately with the cold where I am headed. I may get full size leaves again in a few weeks here, then full drop with 20 degree nights. I’m stumped. Do I want to dig up the ground tree now?

 

[Firstflush]

Oh yah….I may have a pig barn converted to greenhouse with ceiling windows for temporary storage. Not heated right now.

 

[Firstflush]

No opinions? Also, I’m going from a mediterean climate to cold in a day or 2. The trees can live where I’m going but I’m worried about cold shock.

 

[hemmy]

No opinions? Also, I’m going from a mediterean climate to cold in a day or 2. The trees can live where I’m going but I’m worried about cold shock.

Ouch! I made a similar move from coastal SoCal to Zone 6a, but I did it this summer.

I’d only prune what is necessary for space during travel. Since in SoCal you might not be in a fall pruning window without pushing new growth. Most of my trees didn’t get serious about losing leaves until late Dec.

Two days will not be enough to build up the solute concentrations for winter hardiness. What are the lowest temps at your destination for next 10 days and what is the average low for Nov.? If you are a zone colder than me, then the average low is likely below or close to freezing. If you have the unheated barn, you might be able to shelter them and delay freezing temps for a few weeks and long enough to for them to get hardiness. Assuming the barn can get below 40F. If it stays too warm then they won’t get the signal.

 

[hemmy]

I’m certainly no expert on winter, but I’ve received a lot of good advice on cold frames and overwintering from some recent threads. Depending on the light and temps in the greenhouse, you might need to have the trees outside during the day and move to greenhouse at night to avoid freezing temps for a few weeks. If the greenhouse stays to hot from solar heating, then you might need block some light with plastic or shade cloth. Once the leaves start to change color, I would think that signals they are building up hardiness and can take light freezes.

If you have to dig a tree from the ground, try to keep a decent sized rootball intact and undisturbed. You might also consider bottom heat to keep the roots active and growing during the winter.

Is the pig manure fresh? I was just reading about manure cold frames, where you set the box surrounded by manure to take advantage of the expelled heat from the microbial composting of the manure.

 

[Firstflush]

I may lose some, but tree species that grow in Montana will be just as good. May have a garage or basement with windows too. We will see. Hopefully it gets cold here in CA before I leave. Highly doubtful

 

[Ruddigger]

I dont have any advice, I’ve only ever seen cold on tv. But good luck.

 

[Firstflush]

I dont have any advice, I’ve only ever seen cold on tv. But good luck.

Me too. I’m an outdoors person so should be ok.

 

[minkes]

I only moved from 6a to 6b and due it lost 3 trees out of 20. Reason was it was spring time and in previous place trees already pushed spring growth and after moving to new place, where was little bit colder and snow came back there for few days. I think, you need to protect your trees somehow (greenhouse or something..). Morus Nigra is very rare at 6b, so zone 5? It could be hard.