Mulberries

Mulberries ripen in June in my part of Agriculture Zone Five. Mulberry’s fruit taste is affected by the moisture the tree receives. It’s the second or possibly third year of drought in Nebraska. A swath of the state where I live is stuck in what is called Exceptional Drought (deep red color) on the US Drought Monitor.

In 2021 there was rain early in the summer. Pastures, fields, and gardens got off to a good start. The mulberries were lush and plentiful. In the fall we began to see the early effects of drying conditions. There was no snow or rain the following winter. Rains did not come often or in large amounts in 21-2022. The mulberries were tough and sparce. I carried water to my favorite flowers daily and watered the vegetables. As the summer heated, I began to water the grass and consequently trees in the house yard. It reminded me why I really dislike moving hoses. Even the best of them kinks and are difficult to recoil. It was a constant battle just to keep plants alive.

The vegetables were unhappy as well. Plants can be maintained with regular watering, but vegetables are most productive when they receive rain with accompanying lightning and thunder releasing nitrogen from the air. The carrots pictured grew in the summer of 2020 prior to drought conditions.

There were a few snowstorms in the winter of 2022-23 but not enough moisture in the snow to replenish what had been lost in the previous two seasons.

Mulberry season 2023 has arrived. There is a white mulberry tree in front of the house and purple mulberries near the garden. The trees are loaded with fruit, but their flavor is affected by moisture. I’m hopeful they will be eatable this year despite the continued drought. Mulberries are delicious over yogurt or in a pie. Mulberries can also be used to make jam or wine.

Rain is a fickle caretaker here. Fifteen miles to the south it rained over an inch last night. The same amount fell a few miles east. Clouds typically form then split apart in this part of the county. I traveled seventy miles west today and ran into mist during the trip west. During the return trip a few hours later, I drove through pouring rain for fifty miles. The rain ended twenty miles from home and no precipitation was recorded in my end of the county. Weather is fascinating, even as it is frustrating.

I’m watering my favorite plants and trees, then leaving the rest to Mother Nature. I believe it may be time to convert my garden to a Xeriscape landscape, find plants that thrive in dry conditions.