I bought this Tehama Mulberry tree from Rolling River nursery this winter. It broke dormancy normally but now the leaves look pale and growth has stalled for more than a month. I’d bought a Sweet Lavender Mulberry from Raintree last year which did the same thing and died eventually. I thought that was because I planted the dormant tree in May! I replanted in the same spot. Last year, I dumped a massive amount of wood chips in that location and the soil has improved quite a bit. It’s on a slope, so drains well. Soil is moist and I’ve mulched the tree generously with gromulch underneath the wood chips. Any ideas?
It could stop growing because it is short on water and/or nitrogen. Maybe all those wood chips are sucking up the N.
I’d check the soil moisture by digging a hole one foot away from the trunk about 1 foot down.