Pakistan Mulberry fruit production

[denisedecker]

How much fruit production can I expect in lbs. per year from a Pakistan Mulberry from a fully mature tree in a 50-gallon pot?  Where I live, I have to grow in pots (state law) even to do something as simple as selling fruit at farmers' markets. 
Thanks.

[growinginphoenix]

Really? What state law is that?

[denisedecker]

Arizona - if you plant in the ground, you need to have water rights, which are unaffordable.  If you were to use your well, you would need to apply for surface water rights.  However, you can buy water, and as long as they are in pots, you can get a business license.  And yes, you need a business license to sell at farmers' markets.
This is probably not the most realistic endeavor I've ever taken, so I'm trying to figure out how many years it would take to break even.

[growinginphoenix]

Hm... I'm in Phoenix on an irrigated lot that used to be farm land. I wonder if I have water rights.

More on topic, will Pakistan really grow in pots long term? My neighbor's tree is more than twice the size of their house.

[denisedecker]

The lot was probably grandfathered in on as a surface water rights (or something like that).  I like the government to be out of my life as much as possible, so if you're not farming... not sure.
So is your neighbor's mulberry tree, planted in the ground or in a pot?

[DesertDust]

I'd assume a mulberry will eventually over take any sized pot and find its way to the ground. The roots are intense.

Also, this is a first I've heard of this state law.
I know my local zoning says I can grow fruit and nut trees, I'm on an unmonitored well that's registered in my name. 

[DesertDust]

Another point on the farmers market. I looked into this a bit a few years ago. I think it's the farmers markets organizers that requires the business license, not the state. I inquired with a few counties back then, and to sell fruit you didn't need any license. If I remember correctly, they mentioned there were going to be new laws going into effect regarding "Cottage food laws" which basically let you sell homemade food items without a license, but you need to take a food safety course. Might be worth doing more research because I think it is county dependent.
As with federal and state law that I'm aware of, it depends on how much income you make from the farm, and whether or not you will need to register and have inspections, etc.

But I'm not expert. This is just what I remember when I looked into a few years ago.

[growinginphoenix]

So is your neighbor's mulberry tree, planted in the ground or in a pot?

In the ground.

[denisedecker]

I eventually want to scale up if there is enough fruit production, so I'm trying to be on the safe side.  I've seen two small agriculture businesses go out of business with a new administration or the stroke of a pen.  I'm in Maricopa County.

[fishie]

I have a few mulberries in the same container for 3 years now. They fill them up quickly and then just stall out. They don't die but don't produce much after the fill in the pots. You will need to root prune and top prune for any longterm production. Not sure how much in pounds you would get in a 50g size pot, but it should be pretty decent.

[The Herb Swamp]

I have a few mulberries in the same container for 3 years now. They fill them up quickly and then just stall out. They don't die but don't produce much after the fill in the pots. You will need to root prune and top prune for any longterm production. Not sure how much in pounds you would get in a 50g size pot, but it should be pretty decent.

Once they max in size, could you technically just prune heavily over and over and keep getting fruit.

[fishie]

I prune heavy and each subsequent year they produce less and less. You need to prune the roots proportionally as well, like with figs.