Arbutus unedo

Planting Advice for Strawberry Tree - Arbutus unedo

• Select an appropriate spot with enough space to allow your plants to grow. Sun and warmth are essential, so choose a sheltered position in well-drained soil as plants dislike wet roots.
• Plant in spring where possible, to allow the plant several months to acclimatise before winter sets in.
• Dig a hole twice the width of the roots, forking over the bottom to loosen the soil, then add some good quality fertiliser, compost or well-rotted manure. We've found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through.
• Plant at the same depth as the tree was in its pot.
• Holding the tree upright in position with one hand, slowly backfill the hole with soil, so the soil falls back around the roots.
• Compact the soil around the plant with your heel to ensure good contact around the roots.
• Spread Mycorrhizal granules in contact with the roots when planting.
• Mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc.
• Do not allow plants to dry out. Water the plants at least weekly – especially in dry weather – for the first 8 weeks.

Aftercare Advice for your Strawberry Tree

• Plants can develop spotty leaves in the autum, but these tend to fall to be replaced by new ones. These leaves can be removed by hand to imrpove the look of your tree.

Pruning Advice for Arbutus Strawberry Tree

• There is no real need to prune trees and shrubs for the first couple of years. Prune established trees in summer using good quality secateurs, removing weak shoots and overlapping branches.
• Pruning can be kept to a minimum and is just a case of removing any dead or damaged branches.
• Strawberry trees naturally produce a lot of twiggy branches which die back - these can be removed to expose the peeling bark.