The property where we’re planting the chestnuts and hazelnuts on is primarily a hunting property that I purchased with my in-laws. Unfortunately, the soil is poor. That makes it challenging and expensive to plant out annual food plots, which is the industry-dominating strategy for attracting deer. But I don’t want annual deer. I want perennial deer.
Rationale
Since I’m kinda cheap, and a huge plant nerd, and I don’t really like planting annual crops, I made it my mission to find perennial plants that I could put out that would attract and feed deer throughout the year. This way, we can just show up during hunting season and responsibly harvest the abundance of Deer Paradise. I’m not much of a bleeding heart type, but God has placed us in charge of the animals. I think we should be as enthusiastic about caring for the animals as we are about shooting and eating them. As such, I want to feed the deer on our property a buffet of top-quality forage.
The first plant in my lineup that I want to highlight is the tenacious mulberry. It’s a great first perennial plant for any deer plot because it thrives in even the toughest conditions.
Propagation
Mulberry roots readily from cuttings, so all you need to plant a mulberry tree is a fresh mulberry stick! The sticks can be placed in soil with or without rooting hormone with a fairly impressive rate of success. My first attempts were between 80-100% successful. That’s as a very novice plant propagator. You can also plant the fruit in the ground for new plants. I think using cuttings is easier. The other advantage to cuttings is that you’re genetically cloning the parent plant. You know exactly what you’re gonna get from the offspring! See my video here for a step-by-step guide to planting rooted mulberry cuttings.
Why they’re great for perennial deer
The reason deer love mulberry so much is that not only is the fruit delicious, (great source of carbohydrates to build up fat for the winter) the leaves are rich in protein, which helps them build the antlers and meat that we all love so much. Mulberries have a long and early fruiting season, so the food source is reliable for the deer. They can also handle aggressive browsing and keep coming back. When deer have a reliable and abundant source of protein and sugar, you can count on them hanging around it.
additional benefits
Because of the mulberry’s tenacity, it can grow in the poor soil that I would be hard-pressed to plant annual food plots in. When it grows there and the deer start hanging out, they will naturally be dropping “fertilizer”. Over time, that will improve the soil of the food plot area. After a while, if we decide that we want to add annual crops, we can do so in the rich soil composed of the deer and bird droppings. And I don’t have to get out my pitchfork and wheelbarrow. Win win!
potential problems and warnings
The one thing I will say as a detractor for the mulberry is that its aggressive growth pattern can be a problem in some areas. Also, the sheer magnitude of the fruit it drops can be a problem if it’s planted close to where people walk. It will stain your shoes and your feet. I strongly recommend NOT planting this tree anywhere near a house or a walking trail made for people and not deer. Apart from that though, it’s hard to come up with any serious problems. Mulberry is pest and disease resistant, hardy in a multitude of agricultural zones, and easy as pie to grow.
conclusion
If you’ve read this article and you’re now gung-ho for mulberries, I’ve done my job. If you’re not quite ready to clear out your basement and buy grow lights for a propagation station, contact me! I’d be happy to help set you up with rooted cuttings or guide you in placement for mulberries in your property.
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