Is there a way to slow down buds from opening?

General Fruit Growing
#1

Is there a way to slow down buds from opening?

I have a two year old Pakistan Mulberry which survived temperatures as low as 4 degrees F. just fine during the winter, and was doing great until almost the end of March. There were a number of frosty nights in March, but it’s buds had not fully opened and they were doing fine. But then it’s buds began to open more fully, and most were knocked out badly by the last frost of the year.

Would covering it from sunlight or is there anything that could have been done to slow down those buds from opening those last two weeks when we got that last frost?

John in Kentucky

1 Like
#2

Mulching it to keep the soil cooler might help. I am planting mine on the north side of my house and mulching to sow them doun so that they fruit when my sour cherries fruit.