I am glad for your observations. I too am going to try grafting mulberry. I have noticed that my Illinois Everbearing is really late to leaf out. Just yesterday the leaves started to open. At this time all of my apples are pretty much done blooming and my Surefire cherry, which is the last to bloom, has past full bloom (don't know the term).

So maybe your observations are due in part to a prolonged dormancy. I only have the one tree, which is Morus alba.

That's very interesting cousinfloyd.Last year I tried grafting different dormant scions,taken during Winter,both white and crosses,to White Russian root stocks last Spring and not one took.
I'm going to try a fresh cutting graft. Brady

Floyd: I wonder why you are only using a rubber band and pine rosin to graft with. For me, to graft with various helpful materials and thorough technique is but a small investment in a tree that can pay good benefits for years. Even the best scions grafted at the best time on the best rootstock can still fail to grow if not done wisely.

Coping, the reason I only used a rubber band and pine rosin is mainly because I didn't (and mostly still don't) know what better technique or materials there might be for mulberries. I'd very much like to know about the specific needs of mulberries as far as grafting. I have added parafilm since, but almost all my mulberry grafts have been failures since. (Rubber bands and pine rosin work great for the easier-to-graft species, and it's still all I use for them.)

Well, I am NOT a pro grafter, but have done some m/b work. I topworked an Illinois Everbearing tree (tiny, tiny fruit) a year ago with 3 varieties of other m/b with about 15 cleft grafts that all grew. Regretfully, all 3 kinds produced poor fruit this Spring, so they will also get replaced next Spring with Shangri La.......Here goes a very wordy rendition of the steps. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE TERM "THE ONLY WAY TO GRAFT MULBERRIES". Dormant scions in ref. in bag with moist paper towel until tree begins to grow. Spray graft area on r/s with 91% alcohol. Sanitize knife, pruner, fingers with same. Shave wedge on scion for cleft graft with flat, symmetrical sides and gradual taper of 2" when scion is pencil thick (longer when thicker). Spray water on wedge to keep it wet while slitting r/s. Clip clean cut with minimal bark damage on r/s Use alcohol to re-sanitize blade and fingers and remove debris from scion shaving.Slit r/s branch (3/8" to 1/2" thick)with sharp, thin blade slowly, pushing downward lightly and rocking. Keep cut centered and slice down to at least 2-1/2" for a 2" wedged scion to fit. Quickly blot excess water from scion wedge with facial tissue and gently insert in slot, aligning on one side if scion is thinner than r/s. Wrap graft area with stretched Parafilm. Use 1/4" wide rubber band cut open to spiral wrap(like a barber pole with a space between bands) under tension and thus hold 3 pcs. snug as one pc. Use 1" wide plastic flagging (white or light green) to wrap on top of the band/graft area and tape in place with a strip of Skotch tape. Spray a light coat of acrylic clear coat paint over 100% of the uncovered scion. Make a white plastic sleeve/tent( from a grocery bag) about 2" wide by 8" long to loosely cover the grafted scion. The tent is taped closed on the upper end only and a strip of Skotchtape holds it in place so wind won't remove it. In 2-3 weeks, leaves may begin forming, so remove the tents. In Fall, carefully slice into wrapping over graft and patiently remove the wrapping so as not to tear the tender bark while pulling the Parafilm away from it. There are reasons for these steps and items, however flawed, redundant, unnecessary, and otherwise bothersome they may be. I do not mind. In fact, if I am in a rush, the grafting will just wait until I can do it patiently and thoroughly. If I can wait years for a tree to grow and produce fruit, I can sure wait minutes to finish a graft on it.