Ruth Nakamura · April 23, 2026
Stickiness is frequently your first clue. A glossy coating of honeydew settles across the foliage hanging below an infested section, dark sooty mold begins spreading over the stems, and tucked somewhere in that mess you’ll discover either hard, bumpy protrusions or fluffy white waxy clusters fastened to the branches. This constellation of signs points to … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · December 7, 2025
When the Leaves Start Whispering: Recognizing Spider Mite Damage Early What I actually use: The tool that catches mite infestations before they spread across your tree — A quality magnifying loupe on Amazon → As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That afternoon walking through my grandmother’s backyard left an impression I couldn’t … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · December 5, 2025
What’s that fine, powdery material collecting near the base of your branches — and why is the wood just above it dying even though the rest of the tree looks perfectly fine? You’re probably looking at the work of mulberry borers, one of the nastiest internal tree pests you’ll ever encounter. Unlike the insects that … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · November 24, 2025
Understanding Compact Mulberry Trees Maximizing Harvests in Small Spaces I remember the exact moment I noticed it: the smell of rain-dampened cedar from my deck mixed with something else—that unmistakable mulberry sweetness drifting down from the overgrown tree three houses over. That’s when it hit me that I’d been telling myself for years I couldn’t … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · November 6, 2025
Can you actually grow a fruit tree when all you have is a small patio or apartment balcony? Absolutely — and dwarf mulberries are exactly why. I’m Ruth Nakamura, and across fifteen years and twelve cultivars in my Pacific Northwest garden I’ve watched compact mulberries produce surprisingly heavy crops in spaces that could never accommodate … Read more
