Morello cherry - dying?

[WeedItAndReap]

This is the third year I have had this tree.

It's grown in a pot (it's a very big pot, but even so I've had to keep the tree pruned). I've topped up the compost etc, and gave it a feed a few weeks back.

This year - like previous - the tree was covered in lots and lots of buds which were threatening to display lots of white blossom any day. I noticed a couple of days ago, however, that all the buds seem to have dried up and seem to be dead! What can have caused this? I've not done anything different this year. Should I assume the whole tree has had it? Some leaves are still green, but not many.

I don't have a picture (yet).

[DiggerSean]

Did the pot dry out over winter at any point for an extended period? Sounds like root damage. The fact that there are some green leaves means there is hope, but it will need some time to recover. Give it a chance but you may need to replace it.

[WeedItAndReap]

Thanks DiggerSean. It's possible it dried out, though it's a big pot. It just seemed to happen so suddenly - one day there were loads of buds about to blossom, next thing, everything seems to have wilted. I suspect it was always going to struggle in the pot, as I don't think it was a real dwarfing variety, just small, so maybe this is the inevitable