a thoroughly unhappy looking nectarine tree

[Jax]

My oh bought me a nectarine tree for my birthday and it was delivered by the nursery in what I consider a piddly little pot so I hunted around and found a larger pot for it. I have checked and they say it is of the patio variety and can quite safely be grown by pot. Now despite regular watering etc its leaves have all gone brown and it looks as though it may have given up all hope Is there any way of pruning it to promote growth as it means alot to me and I would like to think it will be around for years to come.

[FB.]

I would avoid pruning a sick tree, except to prune out diseased parts that threaten it's health. Pruning nectarines/peaches/plums/cherries in winter time can run the risk of acquiring silver leaf or canker infection throught the wounds; it is a very serious disease. But pruning during the growing season will remove some of its ability to photosynthesize and will weaken a sick tree.
Many "patio" trees are grown on very weak roots that means the plants don't need much pruning and any pruning can shock the tree very badly.

I don't know much about nectarines, but they are quite a delicate plant that need warm, sheltered locations. I consider them to be too demanding.

[Jax]

so is there anything I can do to help it?

[FB.]

Try to find out what is making it unhappy.

Fungal disease? Bacterial disease? Pest damage (perhaps damaging the roots)?
Wrong climate at your location? Not enough sun? Too windy?
Perhaps it doesn't like being in a pot?
Too few nutrients? Too many nutrients? The wrong nutrients? Wrong soil pH?
Too little water? Too much water? Bad drainage?

Perhaps posting a picture will help someone to identify the problem.

[Jax]

Right although I havent managed to get a pic up I have some more info. It appears that the composts may have been mixed up and its possible that there may be old potato compost in there instead. I dont know if that makes any difference. I am wondering though it has been hit by the wind alot and the sudden change in temperature as its only a youngish tree if it just wasnt sturdy enough to with stand this. I was reading something that said that even if it was to get quite poorly if you can pamper it abit and make its growing conditions right it will bring itself back to health. I havent gotten a greenhouse big enough really but its still only little so I am wondering about bringing it inside and pampering it. Should I try and mix in some compost in with it that hasnt been used already? as the compost thats in it it quite loose.

[FB.]

A change of compost might work, combined with plenty of water.
I find that pure compost dries out far too quickly and therefore needs watering every two days - my strawberry barrels require such treatment, as do the Mrs' hanging baskets. My Mrs grossly underestimates just how much water containerised plants need. Leave them without watering for just one week and some of the plants die.
I would suggest a mulch over the top of the compost, to try to retain water. The whole nectarine/peach/plum family are very thirsty plants.

[Jax]

Thats fab thankyou lets hope this works. I will keep trying to remember to get a pic and put it on. It is shocking how much water they need though my raspberrys are terrible I swear I should just attach the hose to them sometimes.

[Jax]

Just a thoguht is there a chance that the sudden change in whether which has been horrendous here has caused it to go into its period of dromancy?

[kiwiman]

I think it might be a good idea to keep the frost off it if the container is small enough to bring indoors, a light position by the patio door or somewhere like that. I assume you have some soil mixed in with the compost, I try and use about 60/40 soil/compost split because a lot of compost bags seem to be full of black (sedge) peat which I think can be too acidic.
(I bought some bags of "topsoil" from B&Q and after opening the bag found the "small print" saying 40% topsoil, the rest looked like sedge peat).