Wondering if anyone here has a Gerardi Mulberry ? and perhaps growing it in TN ? or in a nearby State doing well ? and how you like it ? comments on the fruit produced ?
Last winter I was researching mulberry varieties and came across this one (Gerardi). I found a guy on Youtube that has lots of Mulberry varieties growing in GA (and lots of other fruit trees), and he really bragged on the Gerardi Mulberry. Said it is his favorite and he eats more fruit from it than any of his other varieties (and he has several).
It is a rather small bush, does not get big, does not need a lot of pruningā¦ produces loads of sweet tart fruit, easy to pick even for kidsā¦ and it produces fruit for a couple of monthsā¦ He said his (In GA) starts ripening fruit at the end of April, and produces fruit for about 2 months). The fruit load was nice and the berries good sized.
Note I have a Illinois Everbearing mulberry, that I expect to fruit for me this year but I understand this variety will require quite a bit of pruning to keep it small enough for the fruit to be within reach.
One thing I liked about this Gerardi, is that he said it really requires no pruning, it only gets like 8-10 ft tall, and more of a bush shape. Fruit sets and hangs low on the ābushā mulberry, and is easy pickings even for kids.
The youtuber strudeldog11 has a couple of vids showing his off and he talks quite a bit about it. In his first video he shows it loaded with fruit, sometime in May, and said he got his first ripe fruit late in April.
In May it was loaded with fruitā¦ and the second video is June 14 and it still has lots of ripe (black), some red and still some green berriesā¦ so it was obviously bearing over a long period of time.
strudeldog11 in GA, obviously likes this variety. Anyone else have experience with this Dwarf Black Mulberry ābushā ?
Below is what the Nursery catalog I have (Burnt Ridge Nursery) says about it.
GERARDI - Naturally dwarf form of mulberry. Quick to Bear, sweet black fruit, Originally from Himalayas. Selected by Louis Gerardi in Illinois, resistent to popcorn disease. Zone 4-9.
I would like to have a nice small mulberry like this (something that did not require a lot of pruning), easy for kids to pick and eat (thinking about future grandkids here, and some of my kids smaller cousins)ā¦ In the catalog they said āsweet black fruitāā¦ and the youtouber described it as sweet/tartā¦ and I am Ok with either of those.
If you are not familiar with with this specific varietyā¦ but can recommend something similar please do.
I want to get another mulberry in place this spring.
Thanks a lot !
TNHunter
However its also in one of the best spots but clearly grows much faster than contorted. The positive is its the only mulberry so far to not fruit during a frost for me however the fruit i got (and only for the first time and i did water a decent amount because of all the smoke) was not near as good as the wild ones i was used too.