The feasibility of growing fruit in pots
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
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Guest
In my first season of growing, and perhaps naievely, my wife and I decided to grow small root-stock cherries in pots, and chose one self pollinator and two cross pollinators. The trees were placed in potting composed. Each year the plants have produced a good number of cherries, but in each occasion these have dropped off before reaching maturity. I am currently toying with the idea of writing off the trees and replacing them with something more appropriate, perhaps another blueberry, rhubarb or perhaps plum. My inclination is to plant a bush or rhyzome based plant as opposed to a tree. Anyway, all comments welcome, particularly in relation to why the cherries are dropping.
Immature fruitlets can drop even on standard trees when the pollination is incomplete due to a cold wet spring. (which 2005 was)
Also if too many are produced the fruit may need to be thinned. It is the trees natural way of shedding its load.
Irregular watering maybe another reason.
This can also happen to most tree fruit, apples plums etc. gooseberries.
I would persevere.
Beryl.
Also if too many are produced the fruit may need to be thinned. It is the trees natural way of shedding its load.
Irregular watering maybe another reason.
This can also happen to most tree fruit, apples plums etc. gooseberries.
I would persevere.
Beryl.
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Guest
Thanks for your suggestions: I shall, upon reflection, give the trees more time, and take your comments concerning thinning and regular watering to heart.
Another factor, perhaps of significance - perhaps not, is that I try to do most of the pollination manually by hand. Is this recommended?
I have two plum trees in the garden, but these are planted. These both produce good quantities of fruit, and I have yet to thin down blossom.
As these trees are in pots, what are your recommendations concerning feeding or mulching please?
Another factor, perhaps of significance - perhaps not, is that I try to do most of the pollination manually by hand. Is this recommended?
I have two plum trees in the garden, but these are planted. These both produce good quantities of fruit, and I have yet to thin down blossom.
As these trees are in pots, what are your recommendations concerning feeding or mulching please?
Hi,
I know what you feel like. I have had a standard cherry tree in the garden for more than 10 years and have never got a cherry off of it!
The culpits are Blackbird which nest in a nearby conifer. They use the Cherry tree as a landing pad before diving into the conifer and when the cherries are still orange they pick them all and drop them on the ground. They will then feed on them at their leisure!
As I am a semi-keen birdwatcher I forgive the culprits as last year they raised atleast 4 sets of fledgelings and they do a lot of grub hunting in the undergrowth!
However I have an off-shoot from the roots and was wondering if anybody knew what fruit would grow on this. Also can you take cutting from the cherry tree? I have 11 acres that I can put any resulting trees into, so size is not a problem!
I know what you feel like. I have had a standard cherry tree in the garden for more than 10 years and have never got a cherry off of it!
The culpits are Blackbird which nest in a nearby conifer. They use the Cherry tree as a landing pad before diving into the conifer and when the cherries are still orange they pick them all and drop them on the ground. They will then feed on them at their leisure!
As I am a semi-keen birdwatcher I forgive the culprits as last year they raised atleast 4 sets of fledgelings and they do a lot of grub hunting in the undergrowth!
However I have an off-shoot from the roots and was wondering if anybody knew what fruit would grow on this. Also can you take cutting from the cherry tree? I have 11 acres that I can put any resulting trees into, so size is not a problem!
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Guest
Hi all.
Most fruit trees have a 'June drop' where they shed excess fruit, but if you are losing the lot at this stage, it could be drought, lack of nutrients or a pot bound tree. It's just a survival tactic to ensure the tree doesn't fruit itself to death.
I do have a quince tree in a half barrel - daft I know but it was a freebie when I bought some apple trees. I mulch it heavily with well rotted manure each year - you can buy this bagged at garden centres if you only need a bit. It does OK, but obviously I keep it pruned back fairly small.
The other thing you can try if you can plant in soil but want to keep the tree small is root control bags. Ken Muir sell them & their web site is www.kenmuir.co.uk.
Vivie - I think your offshoot is likely to be a basic root stock so you would be unlikely to get a cherry like the parent, but if you have got the room, you could grow it for fun & see what you get.
Sue
Most fruit trees have a 'June drop' where they shed excess fruit, but if you are losing the lot at this stage, it could be drought, lack of nutrients or a pot bound tree. It's just a survival tactic to ensure the tree doesn't fruit itself to death.
I do have a quince tree in a half barrel - daft I know but it was a freebie when I bought some apple trees. I mulch it heavily with well rotted manure each year - you can buy this bagged at garden centres if you only need a bit. It does OK, but obviously I keep it pruned back fairly small.
The other thing you can try if you can plant in soil but want to keep the tree small is root control bags. Ken Muir sell them & their web site is www.kenmuir.co.uk.
Vivie - I think your offshoot is likely to be a basic root stock so you would be unlikely to get a cherry like the parent, but if you have got the room, you could grow it for fun & see what you get.
Sue
Sorry - that was me on the last post - thought I had logged in.
It also dawned on me that my reply to Vivie was not as helpful as it could be. Your rootstock is likely to be based on Prunus avium, which is the Wild or Bird Cherry you see in hedgerows or Prunus maheleb or St Lucie Cherry.
Both flower profusely and set fruit, although the birdies may enjoy it more than you.
Sue
It also dawned on me that my reply to Vivie was not as helpful as it could be. Your rootstock is likely to be based on Prunus avium, which is the Wild or Bird Cherry you see in hedgerows or Prunus maheleb or St Lucie Cherry.
Both flower profusely and set fruit, although the birdies may enjoy it more than you.
Sue
Hi Sue,
Thanks for the reply, I will grow the root off-shoot and see what happens. I always looked on the cherry tree as being ornamental and if I got fruit off it would be a bonus.
I would still like to take a cutting from the flowering part of the tree, but have never heard of this being done and don't know how or when. The tree is a lovely shape (I have never pruned it) and I would hate to spoil it's symmetry on a whim!
Thanks for the reply, I will grow the root off-shoot and see what happens. I always looked on the cherry tree as being ornamental and if I got fruit off it would be a bonus.
I would still like to take a cutting from the flowering part of the tree, but have never heard of this being done and don't know how or when. The tree is a lovely shape (I have never pruned it) and I would hate to spoil it's symmetry on a whim!
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Guest
Hi Vivie
I reckon you would have to take a bud off your cherry tree and graft it into a rootstock to propagate it. You can grow the wild ones from seed, but not sure about the viability of seeds on named varieties.
Try the Ken Muir site as there is a facility to 'Ask Ken' on it, so you could post an enquiry and see what they say.
Sorry can't be more help - Sue
I reckon you would have to take a bud off your cherry tree and graft it into a rootstock to propagate it. You can grow the wild ones from seed, but not sure about the viability of seeds on named varieties.
Try the Ken Muir site as there is a facility to 'Ask Ken' on it, so you could post an enquiry and see what they say.
Sorry can't be more help - Sue