Cinderella cherry tree

[pepper1000]

I have been looking at blackmoor for a new fruit tree would like a cherry. Has anyone got a Cinderella cherry. Have also been looking at the sunburst one but have no idea which would be best, its to be planted in a large container, any advice please

[GBax]

I would look at 'Stella'…its Self fertile and easy to grow

[AkionTotocha]

I'd be cautious about any tree which doesn't disclose the rootstock, especially at £30

Gisela 5 is most likely the rootstock chosen there, and it's a bad choice for pots because of how sensitive it is. On the one hand, if you give it ideal circumstances, ideal watering, ideal temperatures it will reward you with lots of delicious cherries. If you get them wrong, even for a week or two at the wrong time of year, it will die. And you won't be able to rescue it even if you catch it early enough.

Colt, however, is perhaps too vigorous for a patio pot. With aggressive training it will survive for a while, but the roots will be too big for even a large pot. You can clip the roots when repotting, and if done successfully it will survive for many decades (Bonsai cherries are grown on the natural roots - 50ft+ monsters without training, yet these survive for decades too with proper care. But bonsai are difficult beasts too)

I'd recommend Colt over Gisela 5, but Gisela 6 is also a good choice if you can find it.

As for fruit, cherries are much of a muchness - they'll all produce dangling beauties that you must quickly stuff into your cheek pouches and pockets before any of your family realise they're ripe. Some are sweeter than others or juicier, others will produce later or earlier. As long as it's a self fertile variety you won't need to worry about the fruit because almost all of them will taste better than supermarket kinds and put a smile on your face.

Colt rootstocks are cheaper too, I got two (Stella and Sunburst) on discount from wilko because they looked a bit sorry for themselves, plonked them in the ground and watered them, they've both perked up and now have leaves. They won't be allowed to grow to full height by way of regular pruning, but for both it was £7 - Gisela 5 won't be able to take such treatment.

And if you do decide to go for a Gisela 6, don't go for a heavy cropping cherry variety. The rootstock will take a regular cherry and make it heavy cropping, adding a heavy cropping variety will just be OTT, and make the tree unhappy.