Lighting: | Full sun, although some afternoon shade in midsummer may be necessary to prevent leaf scorch. |
Temperature: | The Madrone is cold hardy as far north as Vancouver. The strawberry tree should not be exposed to temperatures below freezing when used for bonsai. |
Watering: | Light to moderate, increasing during the heat of summer. |
Feeding: | Every 20-30 days from early spring-midautumn, breaking for a month in midsummer. Miracid is recommended. |
Repotting: | Arbutus prefers an acid soil (although unlike most ericaceous plants, it can tolerate lime). 70-80% organic matter is recommended in the soil mix, with only 20-30% inorganic mater such as sand, grit or turface. However, a fast-draining soil is also preferred, so To achieve proper aeration of the soil, bark might be a useful soil component. Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. If the root pruning is drastic, removing all the leaves is suggested. |
Styling: | Prune new shoots back to 2-3 leaves during growth. Prune above a leaf facing in the direction you want new growth to extend. The flexible branches make wiring easy, although the bark will need to be protected. Wire from spring-autumn. |
Propagation: | By seed. Needs three months cold treatment, then requires an additional three months to germinate. I'm still waiting . |
Pests etc.: | Wooly aphid, scale, mealy bugs, thrips, mites. |
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