The strawberry tree (Arbutus, strawberry) is a decorative thermophilic plant, which can be grown from seed by an experienced florist and a beginner florist. During the flowering period from Arbutus, it is difficult to tear off a look, and during fruiting it will delight you with berries, resembling ordinary strawberries. It is for this similarity tree and got its name.
In our area, this plant is grown in a room variant in two ways: by purchasing a sapling in a nursery or planting seed.
Requirements for planting material
There are no special requirements for strawberry seeds, as long as they are fresh (not older than a year).
Did you know? Today, a strawberry tree can often be found on the streets of most European cities. However, initially it grew only in the Mediterranean region and some parts of Ireland and France.
Stratification and seed preparation
Strawberry tree at home to grow easy. For this, before sowing, planting material is stratified for about two months in a special mixture consisting of:
- peat - 70%;
- sand - 30%.
For stratification planting material is placed in the prepared mixture to a depth of 10-15 cm and well watered. The container is covered with a bag and cleaned for 3 months in the fridge (just not in the freezer). If there is a glazed balcony or loggia, you can take out the container with the seedlings and there. 
Sometimes the seeds may begin to germinate already in the fridge. In this case, the container is placed on the window on the north side (so that there is no direct sunlight and that it is warm, but not hot).
If the seeds do not germinate after 3 months, they are removed from the refrigerator and placed on the same northern window, but the bags are not removed.
Did you know? The strawberry has its own peculiarity - the plant sheds bark every year. She falls with a bizarre rustling, for which the tree was called "whisper".
Cultivation substrate
By and large, for strawberry can be suitable:
- ordinary ground from the garden;
- composition of perlite, vermiculite and soil for palm trees;
- soil for conifers, sand and peat.
Important! Vermiculite added to the soil increases the chances of success.
Sowing seeds
The prepared seeds are sown in a well-drained soil to a depth of about 1.5-2 cm. The tank is placed in a shaded, warm place. 
Conditions and care for crops
Although the strawberry tree is not too capricious in planting and care, you will need patience, because the first shoots will seem only after 2-3 months. All this time, watering is carried out as the soil dries.
Did you know? There are cases when the seeds germinated after 10 months. Therefore, it is worth to be patient and carefully take care of the crops for a long time.
Conditions and care for seedlings
When the seeds germinate, the bags are removed from the containers. At this stage, the entire care of the strawberry seedlings consists in watering and maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature.
Important! Excessive watering leads to rotting of the roots, with the result that dark spots can appear on the leaves, and they wilt. With a lack of moisture, the plant sheds leaves.
Temperature
The optimum temperature for growing strawberries is + 20 ... + 22 ° C.
Watering
Watering seedlings should be moderate and regular. 
Picks
After the shoots grow up to 5 cm, they can dive. They do this as carefully as possible, trying not to disturb the earthy clod: the strawberry tree has a very tender and vulnerable root system.
Important! Older shoots may not survive picking.After picking, seedlings are grown in separate containers until they have the eighth leaf. At this stage, strawberries are transplanted to a permanent place.
Strawberry is quite an interesting ornamental plant that will delight you with its picturesqueness if you know how to plant it correctly, where to place it and how to care for it (it is especially important not to forget to water the strawberry tree).
