Last year I picked up a Pakistan Mulberry cutting from my local CRFG scion exchange. I also had a bunch of extra VdB cuttings. On a whim, both went into a large terracotta pot. Both took and grew nicely, went dormant over the winter, and are going gangbusters again. As mulberries tend to like to grow big, I would like to separate them. I do not know much about mulberries. I’m fairly confident that I could remove the fig from the pot and it would stand a good chance of surviving the surgery, but how about the mulberry? Would it survive the root pruning. Can I do it now or should I wait until the winter?
i don’t replant/repot leafed out tree’s unles i absolutly have to.
Damaging the roots while the tree has leafs is asking for issue’s.
Although it could also work. It’s not a 100% garanteed kill or anything close to that.
Short awnser. better to wait till winter.
Unles you expect major problems between now and winter keeping them this way? can you water enough? or will they dry out due to being in the same pot?
another option
you can easily air layer that fig. And onche it has enough roots. Cut it belkow the air layer and replant. All without touching the mulberry roots.
Not quite the same situation, but I dug up a Pakistan Mulberry from my front yard and severely root pruned it in the process. I then planted in the backyard and it grew fine without any issues. However, this happened when the tree was dormant in early Feb, so YMMV.
Figs trees grow like weeds. Shake the dirt off as much as possible and then shake them out in water. Give priority the the mulberry roots if any roots have to be sacrificed. Replant both and keep inside in out of sunlight for a few days then to shade outside until the tree stabilizes. Into sun half day. full sun. They will both be to big by fall.
I’m not sure about that,Steve.There was an old Fig grower,Joe Morle,who also sold them.
One of his tips was,never disturb their roots,when they are growing,because that will kill the plant.He was so adamant,if that was done to one,by a customer,the warranty was voided.
i think that what poncirusguy proposed will likely work.
It is more advanced though. Most “begginers” might skip a step. Or not shade “enough” or not recognise when the plant is stable.
I can defenitly imagine some-one selling tree’s to a lot of “beginners” just flat out says it’s extreemly inportant. And that there is “1 right way” just to keep it simple and practicle.
Still i think the most beginner friendly. Or the advise that will lead to the “best” results for the most people would be.
Wait till the tree is dormant before repotting.
Does not mean an experianced person should not try other ways experimentation will get you to experiance! But also has risks.
experimentation will get you to experiance! But also has risks.