Hi, I’m Ruth — and I’m a little obsessed with mulberries.
If you’ve landed here, there’s a good chance you already know what most people don’t: mulberries are one of the most rewarding fruit trees you can grow. I’m Ruth Nakamura, a backyard orchardist based in the Pacific Northwest, and I’ve spent the last fifteen years with dirt under my fingernails and mulberry stains on just about everything I own.
How I Got Here
My mulberry journey started accidentally. A neighbor had an old Illinois Everbearing tree hanging over the fence, and one summer afternoon I tasted the fruit fresh off the branch. That was it. I was hooked. Within two years I had my first three trees in the ground. Today, my backyard holds twelve different mulberry cultivars — from the classic Shangri-La to the wonderfully productive Oscar and the compact Dwarf Everbearing — and I’m always researching what to add next.
I’m not a horticulturist by formal training, but I’ve read everything I can get my hands on, connected with nurseries and growers across the country, attended small-scale orcharding workshops, and most importantly, I’ve grown these trees myself through real Pacific Northwest seasons — late frosts, soggy springs, and all. What I share here comes from genuine, hands-on experience, not just research.
Why I Started Magnificent Mulberries
Here’s the thing about mulberries: they’re wildly underrepresented online. You can find endless content about apples, peaches, and blueberries, but mulberry growers are largely left hunting through scattered forum threads and outdated extension bulletins. I built this site to change that. I wanted one honest, well-organized place where home growers could find trustworthy information — whether they’re choosing their very first cultivar or troubleshooting a tree that’s been in the ground for a decade.
What You’ll Find Here
Magnificent Mulberries covers everything from selecting the right variety for your climate and space, to planting, pruning, and harvesting your fruit at peak ripeness. I also share recipes — because once your tree produces well, you’ll have more mulberries than you know what to do with, and that’s a wonderful problem to have. Jams, cobblers, syrups, wine, and savory applications are all fair game.
My Approach to Recommendations
I only recommend what I’d actually use. When I suggest a specific cultivar, a pruning tool, or a harvesting method, it’s because it has worked in my own garden. I won’t hype something up because it sounds exciting, and I’ll always tell you the downsides alongside the strengths. Mulberry growing has a real learning curve, and I think you deserve honest guidance — not a sales pitch.
A Little More About Me
Beyond the orchard, I love cooking from scratch, long weekend hikes, and keeping a detailed garden journal that my family generously pretends to find interesting. What drives me, more than anything, is the idea that growing your own food — even a single tree — changes how you experience the seasons. Mulberries do that beautifully. I hope this site helps you grow something magnificent.
— Ruth
Some links on this site are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I have personally used or thoroughly researched.