Ruth Nakamura

Ruth Nakamura is a backyard orchardist in the Pacific Northwest who has grown mulberries for fifteen years, cultivating twelve different varieties in her own backyard. Not a horticulturist by formal training - she shares what she has learned through hands-on growing, workshops, and connecting with nurseries and growers across the country.

How to Prune a Mojo Mulberry (and Other Dwarf Patio Mulberry Trees)

· July 10, 2026
How to Prune a Mojo Mulberry (and Other Dwarf Patio Mulberry Trees)

Mulberry cultivation rewards patience and observation. Dwarf patio varieties like Mojo, Black Beauty, Chinook, Illini Star, and Ozark Premier offer practical options for home gardeners. Pruning these cultivars well requires understanding their growth habits and responding to what your plants tell you season by season. The following guidance draws on established horticultural practice for these … Read more

How to Propagate Mulberry Trees: Cuttings, Seed, Air Layering, and Grafting Compared

· July 4, 2026
How to Propagate Mulberry Trees: Cuttings, Seed, Air Layering, and Grafting Compared

Standard fruit-tree nursery tags won’t tell you that black mulberries stubbornly resist cuttings, or that a seedling might spend a decade producing nothing but leaves and male flowers. Garden books treat mulberries as an afterthought, if they mention them at all. The propagation advice buried in those sources assumes you’re working with something cooperative—apples, pears, … Read more

Pruning Mulberry Trees: A Complete Guide (Including What to Do After Pruning)

· June 28, 2026
Pruning Mulberry Trees: A Complete Guide (Including What to Do After Pruning)

There’s a particular smell to a deck stain that’s been baking in the sun all summer—something between varnish and wood dust—and that’s exactly what I noticed the moment my neighbor appeared with that sheepish grin. A mulberry branch, thick as a small tree limb, lay sprawled across her fence line like an unwelcome guest. Beneath … Read more

How to Make Mulberry Leaf Tea from Fresh Leaves (and How to Dry Your Own)

· June 25, 2026
How to Make Mulberry Leaf Tea from Fresh Leaves (and How to Dry Your Own)

The third week of April found me standing beneath my oldest mulberry, secateurs in hand, surrounded by the explosive flush of springtime growth that happens every year without fail. Branches were sprawling in directions I hadn’t intended, reaching past the fence line and into territory that wasn’t theirs. As I worked through the tangle, snipping … Read more

Weeping Mulberry Tree: How to Grow, Shape, and Care for This Stunning Variety

· June 23, 2026
Weeping Mulberry Tree: How to Grow, Shape, and Care for This Stunning Variety

Don’t expect a weeping mulberry to behave like your average ornamental tree. These grafted beauties demand specific handling, or they’ll revert to upright growth and lose the cascading form that makes them worth growing in the first place. What You’re Actually Planting It pays to understand the structure underneath before you dig a hole. Weeping … Read more

Freeze Dried Mulberries: Are They Worth It? An Honest Look at This Trending Snack

· June 21, 2026
Freeze Dried Mulberries: Are They Worth It? An Honest Look at This Trending Snack

A heavy mulberry harvest presents a real storage challenge. With fruit ripening over 4–6 weeks and soft berries prone to splitting on the branch, growers often face decisions about preservation methods. Freeze-dried conversion is one option for handling abundance, particularly for those managing limited freezer space or seeking shelf-stable storage. My neighbor casually dropped “freeze … Read more

What Do Mulberries Taste Like? A Complete Flavor and Smell Guide

· June 19, 2026
What Do Mulberries Taste Like? A Complete Flavor and Smell Guide

Mulberries are a rewarding crop for backyard orchardists, particularly in regions like the Pacific Northwest. Popular cultivars include Black Beauty, Chinook, Illini Star, and Ozark Premier. Growing these berries offers many lessons in flavor nuance and plant care, and there’s genuine joy in sharing mulberry-growing experiences with fellow gardeners. One sunny afternoon, my neighbor Sarah … Read more

Bugs in Mulberries: What Are They, Are They Safe, and How to Remove Them

· June 17, 2026
Bugs in Mulberries: What Are They, Are They Safe, and How to Remove Them

Growing mulberries at home brings both joys and challenges. One common surprise for new growers occurs during harvest: tiny, translucent specks—and threadlike organisms moving through freshly picked berries—appear in the fruit after picking. The first instinct is often to discard the whole batch. However, learning what’s actually present in homegrown mulberries and how to handle … Read more