I’m not sure that coffee grounds will help your squirrel problem very much but throwing some grounds in a container should have little impact to the soil. Coffee is acidic so do keep that in mind. Overall impact should be little though.

Be careful using chicken wire because a lot of that, just like ...

Photos would help but 2 seems to be the most viable option in your scenario.

How long until lows average above freezing temps in your area? What are your current lows looking like?

I really can’t vouch for 7B but general rule of thumb here is wait a minimum of 3 years before planting in ground ...

I'll let you know in April lol

Update 11/06/2024:

End of season growth. As of 11/23/2024 all leaves are still vibrant green. I will be covering this in the coming weeks to protect it through the winter.

Update: 11/16/2024

Slow growth this season but it's withstood the elements. I'll probably be transplanting it next year from this location to another where it will get more care. If anyone would like free cuttings please send me a message.

Generally we see freezing temps by the second week of November. That should give it enough time to grow some more and harden. This year I’ll protect it.

Update 8/24/2024:

Guess what didn't actually die?

This is what The Incredible Pomegranate has for Gold:

DPUN 092 Gold – Fruit size medium, vivid gold. Arils and juice pink, sweet. Seeds medium soft. Named by John Lovell. Description by Dr. John Lovell, Fruit Gardener, Vol. 20, No. 1, 1 Quarter, 1988: Medium, yellow red, sweet rich light pink juice ...

I'll post a photo of mine after tonight's storm. It's not much to see though lol