North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Elizabeth Hilborn <ehilborn@mebtel.net>]

On 4/28/2016 12:34 PM, sherwin wrote:
> On 4/27/2016 8:38 PM, Jay Cutts wrote:
> > I'm considering trying to grow fruit trees such as dwarf peaches, 
> > plums, cherries in containers. We're at 7000 feet in New Mexico.
> >
> > They can be outside during the growing season but in the winter I'll 
> > need to 1) make sure they get their chilling hours but 2) keep the 
> > rootball from freezing to the point that the plant is killed.
> >
> > Does anyone have any idea how much freezing the rootballs could take? 
> > The containers will be stored sitting on the ground, so they are 
> > exposed. Is it a matter of how cold they get or how long they are 
> > frozen?
> >
> > In the ground the roots would be frozen most of the winter but the 
> > temperature might not get as cold as when the roots are in a pot?
> >
> > The benefit of pot growing would be that I can move the plants 
> > indoors or into a protected spot once they flower and avoid the 
> > lethal effects of late frosts. But then I have to worry about 
> > pollination.
> >
> > Any ideas?
I am in a warmer climate, but I had to hold young fruit and nut tree 
graftlings and seedlings over the winter in narrow tree pots. They are 
in deep pots and burying them was not an option.

I pushed the pots close together in the corner of an unheated structure. 
I packed all gaps between the pots with hay and rolled up wet 
newspapers.  I surrounded the group with 5 gallon buckets filled with 
water and made sure there were no air spaces between buckets and pots 
(more hay and wet rolled up newspaper). I kept them watered weekly over 
the winter.

They have all but one (9/10 plants) survived the winter and are leafing out.

I am not sure this type of insulated above ground method would work in 
your colder climate. We had a relatively mild (predominantly >10 degree 
F) winter.

Betsy Hilborn