Nongsang Jiyao (Vol. 2)

Master Han's Direct Instructions
Field mulberry must be planted in a garden near a well. If there are weeds, hoe them; if there is no rain, water them. By the time the silkworms hatch, you should have watered them three times, and the leaves will naturally sprout early. Some mulberry varieties are early-sprouting, others late-sprouting; one must select the early-sprouting ones for field mulberry.

Essential Techniques for the Peasantry original: "Qimin Yaoshu"
Plant mulberry seeds in nursery beds and transplant them in the first lunar month of the following year. Mid-spring or late spring is also acceptable. Space them at five feet per root. In general, planting seeds results in slow growth, which is not as fast as layering branches. Only plant seeds if there is no other stock available. Regularly hoe the ground below them and plant mung beans or small beans. These two types of beans are beneficial, moisturizing, and increase the health of the mulberry.

Two years after planting, be careful not to harvest or prune them. Small-scale harvesting results in growth that is twice as slow.

New Book on Agriculture original: "Wuben Xinshu"
When a mulberry is one or two years old, its vessels and roots are still delicate.