Suggestions for mulberry

I would like some help with where to go with this mulberry tree. Its one of two trees I saved from killed last spring. I think its got some nice taper and movement down on the trunk. Since its already got two trunks that work well together so I was going to go that route with it, but I have also toyed with the idea of just a single trunk.

Right now it is to tall and the upper sections of the trunks don't have any taper so I've marked where I think it needs chopped back to with some black twisty-ties but I would like to get a second opinion. It also lacks any good roots near the surface so when I repot it I will be taking actions to remedy that.

So far I've mostly dealt with ficus so I would also like some help knowing when the best time to do major chops on this tree would be.

Here are some pictures.

Tree as it is now


View from the back with twisty ties where I think chops should be made.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Also heres a link for more pictures of this tree if you want to see them. Album link

Hello Jon. I think your on the right track. The best time to perform this is as the buds begin to break. Then the tree has the whole year to heal. Mulberry wood is'nt long lasting and make very interesting hollow trees. Keep it in the large container for as long as you can for more rapid growth and results.

Thanks will. Interesting idea about the hollow trees, might give me some new techniques to play with in a couple of years.

Well I went ahead with the chop on this tree and also did a repot as well. The repot was mostly just to check on how well the root growth was coming along as it had mostly large roots after collection and not a lot of feeders. It had lots and lots of feeders this year so I went ahead and removed the bottom part of the taproot. As for the chop I left some space above the new leaders to allow for die back but I might have left to much, what does everybody think?

Same Angle as the first image in the first post.


There was only one root was at this level last year but now a whole new ring has formed. Its about an inch to an inch and a half below where the trunks split, is this to low for a twin trunk? If so I can probably still dig down around the trunk and wrap a wire around the trunk to try and get a new layer to form a little higher.




Also I noted there is some purple color on the roots. The one other picture of actual mulberry roots that i found online had this too but I don't remember seeing it when I collected the tree. You can see the purple pretty good on this next picture of the portion of the taproot I removed.