You don't need a mini but if I was you I'd try to get something on any of the Gisela rootstocks and stay away from Harris.

The pot will do a more than an adequate job of dwarfing your tree and assuring early fruiting no matter what the rootstock.

See if Raintree has anything left- I'm sure your best source, Adams County Nursery is sold out but you can order from them for next year.

You are probably lucky Harris didn't come through- not really the best place to get fruit trees.

You could also check with Edible Landscaping- they sell trees in containers all year long.

Thank you so much for the reply. What about stark bros? They still show dwarf cherries and if the huge pot would dwarf them, it should be alright.

I bought Black Gold from Raintree. Thanks so much harvestman!!!

Thanks for the appreciation- hope the tree doesn't turn you against me- cherries aren't easy. Good variety choice, I think, but you'll probably have to net from birds and it will crack if rain comes just as it's ripening.

Hmm. Is it the variety that is prone to cracking or cherries in general?

Cherries in general. Not the first species I recommend for the eastern states. I notice you posted a question about easiest varieties- Scott posted a pretty good wrap up on that a week ago here. Maybe you can search it up or ask Scott to post it again.

I wonder if a cherry tree were in a pot could one not just put plastic over the top of the pot (at the base of the trunk) to shed any rain once the cherries were about ready to ripen? As long as the root system didn't get a bunch of water all of a sudden would rain on the above ground part of the tree still cause cracking?

Cousinfloyd - that's a great question as the cherries will be grown in pots (hopefully they will grow). I can visualize a lean to set up with poles and stiff plastic sheeting.

Yes, If you can keep the rain off and control the amount of water in the pot itself, cherries might be relatively easy for such delicious fruit- not hard to net such a small tree.

Treehugger! If you like to bake, sour cherries are always great. Would you consider trying a 'Montmorency'? I'm sure you can find one of those on the internet. They don't crack, at least mine don't. Mrs. G PS don't know how well it would do in a container.

MrsG47, Yes, I love to bake and make jam. I am in fact a bit of a jam freak. I want cherries. Lots and lots of cherries. Cherry pie! Cherry Cheesecake! Cherry Cranberry Chutney! Sorry, off topic but that is what started my cherry research. The trees are lovely when they bloom, too, I would think. So my two new cherry trees (thanks to you all!) will have to hurry. I did get one from Raintree which is on Gisela root stock (so much to learn). The one from Henry Fields is Carmine Jewel. I am not sure of the root stock. I will look it up.

Treehugger100,

Carmine Jewel is a dwarf tree 6-8 feet tall and on its own rootstock. You can use the Henry Fields 70% off site wide on the GW old post for under $10 bucks. Good Luck.

Tony

I think you should go with Montmorency- it is the standard of sour cherries and quite easy to grow, although you may have to net it, even if the birds don't like them quite as much as sweets.

MrsG47 & HM, Montmorency is a standard tree. I grow in pots. Will the pot dwarf it enough but allow it to survive?

Yes, should be perfectly all right. No advantage to dwarfs in pots- a pot does what a dwarfing root system does in open soil.

I just bought Montmorency . Now crossing my fingers! Thanks everyone!

I have NEVER had any decent satisfaction with Harris seeds or plants. Have always had good success with Stark Bros, and Adams County Nursery (aka ACN). I especially like ACN's comprehensive list of fruit selections. They are phenomenal. They carry a lot of cultivars developed by Floyd Zaiger (i.e. Zaiger Genetics) out of Modesto, California. They have pluots, apriums, and a lot of peaches in the ZEE-SWEET (TM) category. These (ZEE SWEET selections) are specially hybridized by Floyd Zaiger to exhibit ultra-high sugar content.

I think Stark Bros. is still shipping trees. Don't know if ACN is or not. ACN's stock goes quickly.

What I find most beneficial about these two nurseries is that I can order online and know immediately if the desired variety is still in stock or sold out.

I have NEVER had any decent satisfaction with Harris seeds or plants. Have always had good success with Stark Bros, and Adams County Nursery (aka ACN). I especially like ACN's comprehensive list of fruit selections. They are phenomenal. They carry a lot of cultivars developed by Floyd Zaiger (i.e. Zaiger Genetics) out of Modesto, California. They have pluots, apriums, and a lot of peaches in the ZEE-SWEET (TM) category. These (ZEE SWEET selections) are specially hybridized by Floyd Zaiger to exhibit ultra-high sugar content.

I think Stark Bros. is still shipping trees. Don't know if ACN is or not. ACN's stock goes quickly.

What I find most beneficial about these two nurseries is that I can order online and know immediately if the desired variety is still in stock or sold out.

"The one from Henry Fields is Carmine Jewel. I am not sure of the root stock. I will look it up."

Carmine Jewel is on it's own roots. Part of the romance series. I hope to obtain a rare tree "Cupid", Also part of the romance series. Rare because they are not yet sold in the USA. Even though they were developed in 2004.