Question
QUESTION: I have a fruitless mulberry tree in my backyard which has leaves with brown splotches all over them.  It is dropping a huge amount of leaves prematurely everyday...most are gone already.  Is this a fungus?  Anything I can do?

ANSWER: This sounds like a leaf spot fungi. For now rake the leaves up and move them off site. This will move the fungi spores from the area and cut down the number for next spring. Next spring spray the new leaves with a fungicide that contains cooper. Bordeaux
is one of the common ones. Check with your local nursery and ask for a fungicide for leaf spot of trees. Start spraying when the leaves first appear and then every couple of weeks until the leaves have matured. More then likely it will take 3-4 sprayings.

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QUESTION: Thanks... Now, this tree is taller than my 2-story house-- spraying all the leaves is not going to be possible it seems.  Any suggestions?

Answer
The leaf spots will not kill the tree just cause some growth loss by the premature leaf drop. There are commercial sprayers that can reach that height but these are expensive . With the tall trees that it is not economical to spray just rake the leaves up and remove them from the site and this will cut the spores down for next year. You will still have the leaf spots but should not have as many. Again it will not kill the tree but you will have to put up with the premature leaf drop.