Indoor mulberry?

Odin's Gma

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Has anyone ever tried growing mulberry trees or bushes inside? Any luck? Any tips?

I am in Minnesota so outside year round for them isn't an option, but I have read so many posts about how much your torts love them, I just can't help but think Odin is missing out! He is a sulcata so if they never fruit I don't care, I just want some tasty mulberry leaves for my little buddy.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I found a dwarf species that I'm growing in a pot. I'm training it to grow bushy and stay short.
With a large pot, you would have the option of dragging it indoors and find out. To me, it seems to need more sun than indoors would provide.
They do like those leaves.
 

jaizei

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I don't think I ever grew mulberry but I've grown other trees indoors so it's possible. What type of room do you have for it? Would it be in a dedicated 'reptile room' or in a shared space? HID grow lights can work well but require space and create quite a bit of heat.
 

johnsonnboswell

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In pretty sure you can grow mulberry trees outdoors in Minnesota. They probably wouldn't fruit indoors unless you had a greenhouse.
 

Odin's Gma

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I found a dwarf species that I'm growing in a pot. I'm training it to grow bushy and stay short.
With a large pot, you would have the option of dragging it indoors and find out. To me, it seems to need more sun than indoors would provide.
They do like those leaves.
*ears perk up* Dwarf species? Hello Google search!
I have been dragging the hibiscus and a couple other plants in and out for a few years, what's one more?

I don't think I ever grew mulberry but I've grown other trees indoors so it's possible. What type of room do you have for it? Would it be in a dedicated 'reptile room' or in a shared space? HID grow lights can work well but require space and create quite a bit of heat.
Last summer I grew all of his food in pots and trays the dining room (the husband was not a fan). It has south facing glass doors so it gets a lot of direct sun, but I have been toying with the idea of converting one of the bedrooms into a tortoise room / grow room with lights and everything if the older kid moves out any time soon. *fingers crossed* o_O
 

Yvonne G

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I'm with johnsonboswell on this. The mulberry tree goes dormant in the winter, dropping all leaves in Autumn. So I see no reason why a very cold winter would kill the tree.
 

Odin's Gma

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I'm with johnsonboswell on this. The mulberry tree goes dormant in the winter, dropping all leaves in Autumn. So I see no reason why a very cold winter would kill the tree.
I was thinking I could keep it in a pot and leave it in the garage while dormant as sort of a buffer. Our garage isn't heated or well insulated so it still gets cold as heck, but for plants there is a big difference between zero degrees and -40.
 

Odin's Gma

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In pretty sure you can grow mulberry trees outdoors in Minnesota. They probably wouldn't fruit indoors unless you had a greenhouse.
I've read that they are hardy to zone 5 and I am on the north end of zone 4. I think that may be pushing it. :eek:
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Mulberry grows in Moscow Russia. No disrespect to how cold it gets here, but that beats it for long cold winters. I get an overabundance of mulberry from the mulberry angel, then what to do? I dry it and place it in large plastic drums with a bit of rice in the bottom to act as a desiccant. During the summer even when fresh is available for feeding I will sprinkle in some dry just so the tortoises are familiar with it. Then when the local trees are dormant, I use a much greater proportion of the dried crumpled leaves. I've done this for a two years now, they will just eat the dried all by itself to some extent only they seem to know about.

When I feed fresh mulberry I will place whole small stems with several leaves into the enclosures, they will eat most right away, but that amount which dries, I leave in, and sometimes they will preferentially eat the dry even when fresh is available from the next small branch. I had kept whole dry leaves before, uncrumpled, and fed that out, but they don't seem to mind picking through the salad for the larger dry bits, if that's what they really crave.

It is universally desired by tortoises in my experience.
 

Odin's Gma

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Not only did I find a seller for a couple of dwarf mulberry plants, I found seeds for white mulberry which IS hardy to zone 4!!!!!
So, soon I will have both! Thank you Amazon, and thank you @ZEROPILOT , @johnsonnboswell and @Yvonne G for making me do more research! Odin would thank you too, but he isn't very adept at typing.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Not only did I find a seller for a couple of dwarf mulberry plants, I found seeds for white mulberry which IS hardy to zone 4!!!!!
So, soon I will have both! Thank you Amazon, and thank you @ZEROPILOT , @johnsonnboswell and @Yvonne G for making me do more research! Odin would thank you too, but he isn't very adept at typing.
One thing I was told by the nursery and it was SOOO true is that when you re pot the plant, it will soon look like it has died. Water it and it will come right back.
It will.
 

Odin's Gma

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Mulberry grows in Moscow Russia. No disrespect to how cold it gets here, but that beats it for long cold winters.
Actually, Moscow is zone 5b, i'm 4a....

It is universally desired by tortoises in my experience.
That is what I have read which is why I MUST acquire this tasty treat! I am so excited.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Actually, Moscow is zone 5b, i'm 4a....


You win, or maybe loose? Either way, Mulberry will grow there. The potential to grow it indoors is also good, but if you can have a giant, essentially take care of itself tree outdoors, seems easier. There are mulberry varieties that grow in the Himalayas as well. snow, ice, and extended freezing. It's a tough tree and tasty too. Try some fresh young leaves yourself, they taste good.

That is what I have read which is why I MUST acquire this tasty treat! I am so excited.
 

Odin's Gma

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You win, or maybe loose? Either way, Mulberry will grow there. The potential to grow it indoors is also good, but if you can have a giant, essentially take care of itself tree outdoors, seems easier. There are mulberry varieties that grow in the Himalayas as well. snow, ice, and extended freezing. It's a tough tree and tasty too. Try some fresh young leaves yourself, they taste good.
I almost wrote that "I win", but it didn't feel like a win. :(

I am SO looking forward to getting them!
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Yeah, I'll have to pay more attention to facts over the cold tolerance boasts of some family.

Either way

http://www.raintreenursery.com/Regional_Plants.html#COLDESTPARTS

It looks like Mulberry will grow outside in your region. I hope I didn't misread the webpage.

I guess though others talk about it as a leaf for tortoise food, just call me 'Willy Mulberry Leaf'. I've planted a few along a drainage behind my house.
 

dmmj

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Dwart trees still reach 8 to 10 feel.
 

Ariza

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Wish I could grow it in my backyard. BUT, a couple of decades ago I owned a house with 5 mulberries and I developed asthma-like symptons. Right after I had them all cut down my symptoms went away. So, I'm too scared to plant a mulberry now in my new house. Wish I knew someone who has one and could give me some leaves.
 

poco

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My MEE won't eat it. Funny thing is that they like the smell, will take a bite, and then spit it all out.
Tried several times, feeding only leaves, whole branch, and let it there for a few days, they just won't touch it.
The only time they eat it is if I cut it small and mix with Mazuri.
Not sure what's wrong, as it looks like most if not all other tortoises like it.
 
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