Mulberry farming also known as sericulture or silk farming is the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms for the production of silk. Mulberry trees are primarily grown for their leaves which are the main food source for silkworms. Choose a well drained site with fertile soil and good sunlight exposure for mulberry farming its trees thrive well in loamy or sandy soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Select suitable mulberry tree variety based on your climate and market demand ,popular varieties include; morus alba, morus indica and morus rubra. Its crucial to consult sericulture specialist for specific recommendations based on your regions climate and conditions.
Mulberry cultivation
Propagation can be done through seeds, cuttings or grafting, plant the trees during the rainy season maintaining a spacing of about 8-10 feet between the trees and providing regular irrigation to the mulberry plants especially during dry periods for they require sufficient moisture for healthy growth and leaf production. Apply organic manure or balanced fertilizers to ensure optimum growth and leaf production, prune the mulberry tress regularly to maintain their shape, remove diseased or damaged branches and train the trees to an appropriate height for easy leaf harvesting.
Once the mulberry tree has reached its maturity you can start rearing silkworms by obtaining their eggs or larvae and provide them with fresh mulberry leaves as their primary source of feed. Monitor the silkworms closely and ensure they have access to an ample supply of mulberry leaves also maintain suitable temperature and humidity levels within the rearing area and protect the silkworms from pests and diseases through appropriate preventive measures. After about 25-30 days when the silkworm complete their larval stage and spin cocoons carefully collect the cocoons and the silk can be extracted from the cocoons through a process called reeling which involves boiling the cocoons to dissolve the sericin and unwinding the silk filament
