Sweet Taste of Spring

Fridays are always good days. I've completed this week's GardenLife newsletter and lined up our interviews for the weekend allowing me time to see what is happening in the garden. One of my favorite fruits is beginning to ripen, the Pakistan mulberry (Morus nigra 'Pakistan') and I am going to harvest as many as I can to share with friends and family before our feathered friends discover them. The tree has a spreading habit, is quite a vigorous grower with lovely heart-shaped leaves and bears 3-5 inch long, dark purplish-red fruits that are oh so sweet! Although it thrives in mild winter regions and the deep South, it also performs well down to zone 7. Uh oh...I hear the birds chirping near the mulberry tree. Time to go harvest, but I'll leave the fruits near the top of the tree for them.