Was having problems with my cherry tree and amazingly the internet wasn't much help at all.

Just bought a Yoshimo cherry tree in March. It's about 3ft tall...nice healthy thick trunk and big green lush leaves.
We are moving north at the end of the year where we can have a backyard to permanently plant it in. For now, its on an apartment deck in a large container...

First the leaves were getting eaten so I bought bug killer for plants. Then they started curling and dropping off.
Tried to find what could cause this and the most likely culprit seemed to be a fungus...but I found no great advice. Which is why a good website recommendation would be nice.

This is what I've done so far...

1. Pruned all dead and infested growth off...branches and all.
2. Took it out of its pot and soaked roots in hot water for a while. Thoroughly cleaned roots and trunk. (with plain water pressure...no soaps or anything.
3. Cleaned out old pot and soaked it in hot water. Scrubbed down old pot. (this time with a light eco friendly soap.)
4. Made fresh soil mixture (this time with perlite).
5. This time i put drainage rocks on bottom on pot. (if the culprit was a fungus Im hoping #4 and #5 will help soil from staying too damp.
6. Replanted pruned and cleaned Cherry Tree.

I have not added water today. The soil is moist. Be moist i mean...healthy dry moist how it comes in a bag.
I'll probably thoroughly water it with fertilizer tomorrow or the next day.

Anyways if anyone has some advice on any of this or a good website link. if you think i did the total wrong thing...or the right thing...let me know and explain. I have very healthy monstrous roses doing very well in containers. but trees are new to me.

thanks.

Al