i planted a rainier tree over at my folks house about 15 years ago. it still isn't very big(about 10-12 feet tall) but last year i did finally get a decent crop of cherries. i did plant it in sort of a marginal place, though, and it would have produced better if it wasn't in the shade half the day!

cherries generally grow fine over here as long as you've got really well drained soil. that rainier is damned near growing in sand so it's never had any cracking problems.