Bomber: This is far from certain, but sounds like your tree may be suffering from poor drainage. The symptoms you describe sound like a drowning tree. Cut down on the watering and make sure drainage is as good as possible. But if the problem is a soil mix that doesn't drain, then you may be out of luck. Make sure you have a well drained mix on your next try.

You might want to pull the peach out of it's pot, if you can, and examine the roots. If drainage is bad, the soil will probably have that anerobic smell.

The Fruitnut

Thanks Fruitnut. If I remember correctly, I drilled several holes in the bottom of the barrel, and the mix is standard potting soil.

It's looking a bit better today. Hopefully, things continue to perk up

Can you recommend a good growing medium for cherries?

Standard potting soil would be fine if it were not in a pot. Things just drain so much worse when in a pot. Also the holes you drilled in the bottom may not be adequate. They tend to plug. Think about more or larger holes. Then cover the bottom with a couple layers of AL window screen or something similiar. Now you might put in a layer of sand that will not pass the screen although I'm not sure this will help. Last a mix that is better drained than standard potting soil. There are so many it is hard to be specific.

The Fruitnut

So is your soil wet or dry? Containers may dry out more quickly and cause problems. What is your rootstock? Citation ?

My BavayÂs Greengage in a four in a box planting refused to break dormancy this year, was completely stunted except for three lower branches, but also didnÂt die. IÂm guessing itÂs my Citation rootstock, read that it goes into dormancy (along with the tree) if conditions are too dry (like in my raised bed-south sun side location). There was also an antÂs nest around the roots, increasing the dryness. IÂve moved it out, and am hoping to get some new growth in a moister, cooler planting. Could your situation be similar?

I would buy pots without holes on them. Then I will drill my own holes on the sides near the bottom edges. Three 2" diameter holes would be nice. I use fluffy potting media like Super soil and mix with 1/4 coconut husk chip or composted redwood bark and 1/8 sand. Every time I water, I would first plug the holes with big rubber stoppers (can buy these from homebrew outlets), then water until it fills up to the surface. Let it stand for 15-30 minutes, then remove the stoppers. I would just water two to three times a week. I used to have the drip irrigation on my big pots before but doesn't work very well as it would create large areas that are too dry, but this method plug and drain works wonders in big pots and never had any dry areas within the potting media. I have very productive cherries and nectarines planted in big pots. The ants or other insects would literally drown every time you water. I like the method that I already bought ultradwarfing rootstocks for plums, apricots, peaches and also for cherries and also for apples. I plan to grow these in pots using the plug and drain watering method. In case I tired of it, I can go back to my drip irrigation. The major requirement of this method is that your media should be really well draining and long lasting.

Bomber,

If you leave all that fruit on a new tree, it probably isn't going to grow very well. That little tree is going to struggle producing the fruit when it should be producing a strong structure. When you get a new tree, knock all the fruit off the first couple of years and then possibly leave a small crop during year three depending on the size of the tree.