Growing questions including fruit

We hauled up 3 one ton truck loads of compost today, four more tomorrow for the garden(s). We're working in the first 3 loads tomorrow with the 706 tractor, mostly for potatoes and other veggies.

Tonight we ordered 4 cherry trees, for our zone 3, and one Santa Rosa plum hardy at zones 5-9. I'm thinking about possibilities of getting and keeping the plum to grow. We have one Reliance peach(zone 4-8) growing for 4 years, and it's still going,but growing slow,even with fertilizer spikes and recommended chemical fertilizer.

We're thinking of growing them in a 55 gallon drum for the plum tree and bringing it in the basement for the winter.lol. (May not be kidding).Even thought of cutting a piece of darafoam with a slit for the trunk and putting it on top of the ground to stop the severe freezing we sometimes get,and removing it for spring. Or wrapping the tree in insulation for winter with heat tape and a solar panel for power. We just like growing fruit trees and don't want to move to a warmer zone to do so, any other ideas that would work would be appreciated.
PS, my wife and I wedding anniversary was April 1st. NO JOKE.

LOU

High tunnels work very well here in Michigan. Michigan State Extension has them in use with dwarf fruit trees and berries. They definitely extend the growing season here, and the crops are loaded with fruit. Good luck.

Someday the plant geneticists will develop fruit trees that will withstand northern winters. How about growing coffee beans and cocoa beans in northern climates?

Here in SC KY we have a neighbor with high tunnel greenhouse growing lemons and limes. They sell like crazy. One day at farmers market and whole years produce gone.

I'd recommend you cocnsult your local university extension office for your area. You have lots of ideas, thinking outside the box, which is great. But some fruit plants need dormancy, some need periods of cold. My berries need several months of freezing temps for the fruit buds to fully develop. Will not develop in warm climates.
But an university fruit expert can quickly advise you. I'd also consult somebodylike Stark Brothers or some other fruit grower.

Like FBH44 said, fruit trees need to stay dormant. They need so many "Chill Hours" in order to produce a crop. We have grown the Stanley Plumbs for 50 years. Once you taste one that will be the only plumb you'll ever eat and you won't see them sold in stores. They are late bloomers so they may grow in your area. Unfortunately they're not recommended for your zone. They're great for eating raw, jelly, pies, canning.

You can't just eat one! The longer they set on the cabinet top the better they get
Plums

Dick; sham on you for even thinking that!! Don't you realize that genetically altered crops and fruits are bad for you??? Wink Wink
Loren

I think a green house is the answer, that you can take down easily in summer.