Dwarf Cherry Tree Seeds – Grow Your Own Patio Cherry Tree
Grow your own cherry tree from seed and enjoy spring blossom and homegrown fruit from a container on your patio, balcony or small garden. This listing is for cherry stones (seeds) from Stella variety, cleaned and ready for cold stratification.
Why grow a cherry in a pot?
Please note: Cherry trees grown from seed are not identical to their parent, so fruit size, flavour and the tree’s final height can vary. Trees are kept compact in a pot through root restriction and pruning. Seed-grown cherry trees usually take 3–7 years to fruit. Germination rates vary, so sow all seeds for the best results.
1. Prepare the seeds
Soak the seeds in water for 12–24 hours before stratifying.
2. Cold stratify (essential)
Cherry seeds need a cold period to germinate. Place the seeds in a sealed bag with damp (not wet) compost or sand, then label it and keep it in the fridge at 1–5 °C for 10–12 weeks. Check every couple of weeks and remoisten if dry. Starting in autumn or winter gives you seedlings ready for spring.
3. Sow
Once the seeds crack open or show a small root, sow each one 2–3 cm deep in a 9 cm pot of seed compost. Keep in a bright, cool spot (10–18 °C) and keep the compost lightly moist. Germination can take several weeks.
4. Grow on
Give seedlings plenty of light. Pot on into slightly larger pots as roots fill each pot. Harden off gradually over 1–2 weeks before placing outside after the last frost.
5. Move to a final pot
After 1–2 years, plant into a container 45–60 cm (18–24 in) wide with drainage holes. Use John Innes No. 3 compost mixed with some grit, with crocks at the bottom for drainage.
6. Position
Full sun (at least 6 hours a day) in a sheltered spot.
7. Watering and feeding
Water whenever the top few centimetres of compost feel dry, which may be daily in summer. Don’t let the pot stand in water. Feed every 2 weeks from spring to midsummer with a high-potash feed such as tomato feed.
8. Pruning
Prune only in summer during dry weather to avoid disease. Pinch out the tip at 60–90 cm to encourage a bushy shape, then trim long shoots and remove crossing or crowded branches to keep it compact.
9. Ongoing care