Hello All! I really hope you can help me with this problem.

I have a 3 or 4 year old "Pixie-cot" Apricot tree in a 24-inch container on my balcony. It leafed out well last year but did not give fruit. After last season's mild winter (a "non-winter" here in the Los Angeles area) it came out of dormancy late and reluctantly-- probably lacking the chill hours it needed. It set a few fruits but they fell off after a few weeks. Since then it has been limping along in the scorching summer and fall heat. It has fewer leaves than it should and many of these look partly browned. The heat has already claimed my blueberries and raspberries--- I really want to save this tree if I can!

Tree Stats:

-Watered 1-2x a week, if soil seems dry

-Fertilized with cottonseed meal, coffee grounds, and general plant food every 1-2 months

-Potted in a custom soil mix with perlite and bark for drainage

-Gets absolutely full socal sun (poor thing), but I try to shade the pot to keep the roots cool.

-Pruned

I have no ground to plant it in, but I can do anything else, maybe an even larger pot with a different soil mix? Different fertilizer? You tell me!

Thanks so much!