Took 18 cuttings from the northwest Shangri La Mulberry today and put them in three-inches of water to propagate.

Looking back at the notes for the mulberry linked above, there were 4 cuttings and the one that was removed and planted after 34 days is the one that did best. The other 3 cuttings were planted 59 days after being started in water and none of them survived. The surviving cutting was kept in a 5 gallon pot for 8 months under shade cloth before being planted in the yard.

Added a couple more thicker cuttings and then threw away 11 of the smaller cuttings as I'm now convinced that they're a waste of time. Changed the water as it was already murky from the sap.

Leaves started opening a couple of days ago and fruit showing now.

A better image of the fruit forming.

Progress. About a week or two to go in the water before planting.

Removed the fruit growing on 7 of the 9 cuttings (2 didn't have fruit). Should have done this earlier. Need these cuttings to focus on leaf and root production not fruit.

Today the 9 cuttings graduated from jar of water and into individual pots. It's been 32 days since they were cut and put in water. The pots have a mixture of about 45% native soil, 45% potting mix and 10% perlite.

A few of the cuttings show signs of root nodes but none of them have any actual roots. I've seen this before and still had this work so not too worried yet.

3 of the 9 cuttings are now showing signs that they won't make it.

Of the initial 9 there are currently 4 survivors. There is definitely a bias towards the cuttings with thicker diameters. Survivors are in the first image.

2 of the cuttings are still alive and doing well. Today they graduated from pots and into the ground. Their stories will be continued in separate chronologies:

• Mulberry - Shangri La 2021 N - first image
• Mulberry - Shangri La 2021 NW - second image