Anyone growing Cherry of the Rio Grande in Phoenix?

phoenixtropicals

Well, I've had a cherry of the rio grande for years now and it seems to be slowly getting smaller rather than growing larger. It dies back, then puts out some leaves that don't get very large then dies back again.

It's almost dead I think, especially after this amazingly brutal August. It doesn't seem to prosper in the cooler months either which leads me to believe its more of a soil problem than a heat problem.

So, I'm wonder if anyone else has had success growing one of these in the ground. If you grow it in a pot and water it with RO water, that doesn't count.. ha ha.

Please include a picture if you have had success and let us know how you take care of it, how much sun it gets, whether you've had fruit, and how long its been in the ground.

Thanks!

ajbcirc · Joined: 13 Apr 2011 Posts: 97

I think it's probably easier to grow the Minnie Royal / Royal Lee sweet cherry pair from Dave Wilson. The important thing is to make sure you get them on the new dwarfing stock and not Mazzard or Colt.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:40 pm Post subject:

Why, do they get too big on the other rootstocks? I tried those on Mazzard, bought them from Raintree, and they died but it was partly due to getting hammered by Ammonium Sulfate, a mistake. So, I wasn't really able to give them a good attempt at flourishing here.

ajbcirc · Joined: 13 Apr 2011 Posts: 97

3CR173 seems to be very tolerant of our salt and more importantly, the heat. Mazzard and Colt can't seem to take either.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:34 am Post subject:

Wow. That explains it. Maybe it wasn't the fertilizer after all. Great advice. Where can you find them on that rootstock. Baker's?

ajbcirc · Joined: 13 Apr 2011 Posts: 97

Mail order. Bay Laurel and Sanhedrin Nursery have it listed. Dave Wilson released a limited number last year to select nurseries, but it looks like it's going to be released widely this year.

Knowing Bakers, they'll probably order it the trees again on Mazzard, like they did this year.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:28 pm Post subject:

Great thanks. Hmmm... Now where could I squeeze in those trees. Very Happy

Dauntless · Joined: 20 Nov 2010 Posts: 174 Location: Mesa, AZ

I failed with my CORG too. I had 2 and they both died. Mine were planted in the ground so since I am experimenting with growing things in containers, I picked up 2 different ( a purple and a Vermillion)Surinam Cherry bushes and another CORG to try in pots.
These are small plants (12" to 18"tall) that came in sleeves. I got them at Tropica Mango Nursery in Mesa for around $20 each.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks for sharing. It's good to know others feel my pain.. ha ha

mullenium · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 192

same here.. my CORG was starting to decline.. so i pulled it and potted it up and it slowly died off in the pot.. i still have it there as a little stump thinking maybe itll push some growth but i wont get my hopes up