I planted sugar maple seeds late in the spring (after refrigerating wet for 6 wks) and have 5 seedlings that are 6" tall in gal pots. I thought that they wouldn't survive our West Kootenay winter, so I brought them in for the winter. What do I do for them inside? Will they go dormant or will they start new growth? What conditions are best for them? Any advice is appreciated.
What to do with yearling plants is often a challenge. As you would know, the sugar maples grow back east where the winters are at least as cold as yours...but that is for trees in the ground. I wouldn't keep the babies indoors,( unless you could provide lots of supplemental light and just keep them growing until spring). I would bury the gallon pots up to their rims outdoors and perhaps mulch around the seedlings as well. Up against the eaves, where they don't get too much winter wet might help a lot also...the containers could tend to saturate the roots with too much water alot of the winter, depending on your potting mix.
