For a context of what I am working on, please watch this first:
Permaculture Project in Valley of Backyard - Hardiness Zone 5b During a kneejerk fruit-tree-purchasing excursion, I bought some
fruit trees from a nursery based in Connecticut, where it is Zone 6a : -10 to -5 (F). I didn't account for the different rootstocks that might be necessary and am wondering if there is anything I can do to better acclimate the fruit trees for Wisconsin's winter. For the time being, I have wrapped all the fruit trees with burlap, but I imagine that will do little to protect the newly-planted rootstocks. I am hoping our increasingly warm winters and late to freeze falls are an indication that my hardiness zone might become warmer over the
course of the next ten years. Also, I will be adding
compost and topsoil in the spring on top of the
straw before planting different perennials. Does anyone have any multi-functional perennials that would work well for the trees I purchased? I imagine I will need to get many nitrogen-fixing plants, so I am open to recommendations. Thank you in advance for any insight you can offer.