Strawberry Crabapple Tree; A Treat for Your Garden

Gardening is a fun activity and if you have enough leisure, some interest and a big garden or a backyard to work upon, you can come up with an array of different vegetables, fruits and flowers. You would be amazed to find yourself lost in the lap of nature, caressing and gradually working upon it inch by inch. If you adore berries and love wild fruits, with some research and substantial efforts you can pick them from your own garden. One of such trees that can make your garden lively is Strawberry Parfait Crabapple. Strawberry Crabapple tree as it’s also called is full of life and can be easily cultivated and you can surely reap from it in a year or two. Let’s learn more about this tree, its growth, life, bloom etc. and dwell on the idea of growing it:

The Tree: This tree is of the deciduous kind and even though they shed leaves, they are considered a beautiful, versatile, ornamental tree. The height of a strawberry crabapple tree usually ranges between 8-15 feet. Unlike other trees which require fertilizers only in the first few years to grow well and bloom, these trees call for a subtle amount of pesticides and fertilizers every couple of months for a steady growth of roots and stem. You would also like to water them regularly to establish the root system at start but this gradually subsides with time.

The soil and the weather: These trees need a place to grow which falls in full or partial sun, but a little shade in the summer is necessary to avoid leaf scorch. Light and medium soils as well as heavy clay soil with low acidic level support their growth. 

Pruning: Water sprouts which grow with speed from the branches, Suckers which grow rapidly from the stem, roots or the base of the tree and all the sick, germinated, lifeless branches and the leaves should be removed. Keep the pruning balanced, otherwise the trees would grow unevenly and the same effect would show on the fruits. If you have grown a group of such trees, they are bound to look exotic post-pruning. Blooming large flowers with a unique mix of pink would always make you earn applause for such a well-kept backyard. 

Fruits: Usually the trees start blooming from the second season and bear insignificant amount of fruits as well, but they start yielding regularly from the third or the fourth season. These trees start blooming in spring and the fruits ripen in winter. The fruits are lush deep red  and the fruiting also depends on various environmental factors such as weather, soil etc. but if your tree is free from diseases you sure would be able to pick those delicate fruits with your bare hands from the third year.

References:

http://www.violasflowergarden.com/products/trees/crabapple-strawberry-parfait 

http://www.cirrusimage.com/tree_Strawberry_Parfait_Crabapple.htm

http://www.landscape-america.com/landscapes/trees/flowering_crabapple.html