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Strawberry Tree (Arbutus Unedo)

TELME8

By Telme8

Vale of Glamorgan, Wales Wal

I planted 10 yrs ago 2 strawberry trees, one in the shrubbery and one in another part of the garden. The one in the shrubbery always produced beautiful strawberry fruit, the other, flowered but the fruit never set. Unfortunately the fruit producing one died, something had eaten all the roots, I hoped the other would produce fruit eventually but did wonder if they needed the two for pollination. The remaining one is at the moment plastered in flower. can any one suggest why the fruit are not setting on it. It is now quite a big tree, will they take fairly hard pruning? could it be a lack of potash or something to that nature.




Answers

 

Hi Telme,
Are there any very small fruits under the flowers now?
It flowers one year and fruits under the flowers the next year. Hard pruning will only promote growth.

19 Oct, 2008

 

No there are no fruit on it now, I have just been out to check! but I have just found in a book that it advises to plant 2 to help pollination, I expect that is why I was extravigant enough to buy two at the time. but this one has never born fruit from day one except one or two odd ones which never come to maturity and that is since the other has died.

19 Oct, 2008

 

I would imagine too much water. They are slow growers here in Greece, where they grow wild. Give a generous leaf mulching. Are there any spots on the leaves?

19 Oct, 2008

 

Thanks Isabella, this new found web site is fascinating me, that I get an answer to my question from another part of the world where my plant is native to! who better to know the answers. I think you could well be right as the first Strawberry tree was planted in the shrubbery against the bank of a hedge which was very dry and well drained, this one was planted in the edge of the stable paddock where the soil was stored while building the house and got very compressed. Our soil is heavy clay and I do feel that patch a bit wet and the leaves are a lot more yellow than the other one which would suggest chlorosis. That's what happens to our young corn in these wet Spring years. It is late in the evening here but I will look to the leaves in the morning I think they are blemished. Thanks again, Could do with some of your sunshine!!!

19 Oct, 2008

 

Hello Isabella morning has come and I have beenout to see my strawberry tree and yes the leaves are covered with red edges and red brown spots. Never seen it so bad but we have had the most horrendouse wet summer we can remember so does that certify that it is waterlogged ground problem?

20 Oct, 2008

How do I say thanks?

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