Amur Maple seedlings! Bonsai noobie

[Gabby10109]

Hello everyone! I'm super happy I found this forum. Any advice is greatly needed.

So I got some maple seeds online and I left them in the fridge for two months, starting in July. I took them out on the 12th of September and two of the three seeds I put in there have sprouted! I'm keeping them inside under grow lights. I started them in Rapid Rooter plugs with a heating mat under them so they stay warm. What would I have to do so they have a thick truck later on in life?

 

[j evans]

"Thick trucks" are hard to come by, thick trunks just require years of growth. Welcome and congrats on the sprouts!

 

[Gabby10109]

"Thick trucks" are hard to come by, thick trunks just require years of growth. Welcome and congrats on the sprouts!

Thanks so much! Any advice with the little sprouts?

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

This might be a good place to start. Good Luck!

https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/trunks.htm

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

It's kind of an odd time to be starting them.

They should be outside, but the timing makes it difficult...

If you have more seeds, I'd try to start some for spring, so they can go out fast and stay out.

My favorite maple..

I call it The Arctic Trident.

Sorce

 

[Gabby10109]

Welcome to Crazy!

It's kind of an odd time to be starting them.

They should be outside, but the timing makes it difficult...

If you have more seeds, I'd try to start some for spring, so they can go out fast and stay out.

My favorite maple..

I call it The Arctic Trident.

Sorce

I actually would like it if my Bonsai's were indoors! Is that possible with Maples?

 

[Gabby10109]

At what point should I put the sprout in a pot? Should I put it in a big pot so it'll grow a big trunk or should I put it in a regular sized non-bonsai pot?

 

[don b]

I actually would like it if my Bonsai's were indoors! Is that possible with Maples?

Sounds to me like you should do some more research. Find some bonsai books, and join a local bonsai club. Growing seeds is a good start but very boring work as all you will be doing for the next 5 to 10 years is watering. Also you will not be able to grow maples indoors. Good luck!

 

[sorce]

I actually would like it if my Bonsai's were indoors! Is that possible with Maples?

Not for any good length of time.

Ficus rules tho!

Sorce

 

[Gabby10109]

How Long should I keep it inside for?

 

[don b]

How Long should I keep it inside for?

I'm not well versed on Amur maple, but maybe when it's pushed a few more pairs of leaves and they've hardened up, they can go outside for some sunlight.

 

[whfarro]

How Long should I keep it inside for?

For about like....almost never. Amurs are very cold tolerant. Not sure what zone you are in, but they over-winter well. That sprout has a way to go. Given it would have been best to time your planting with early spring time, you will likely need to keep this indoors until next spring.

That all said Amurs are great. You might consider getting something a bit further along.

 

[don b]

I have a question since this thread is on Amurs and I have none. Will it do well in California? It almost never drops below 35'F here.

 

[sorce]

I have a question since this thread is on Amurs and I have none. Will it do well in California? It almost never drops below 35'F here.

Go regular trident.

Sorce

 

[whfarro]

@sorce ha...Pokémon Go Master....

 

[Gabby10109]

So I should get it inside until this coming spring in 2017? I'm totally new to this btw, and lots of advice is very helpful.

 

[Gabby10109]

UPDATE: So I recently put my little guy outside!! Here's a photo from today.

 

[Eric Group]

Ok..
You should not have started them so late, sends sprouted in Spetember are BABIES in Winter which is bad for their survival chances.

Maples require a cold dormancy yearly so growing them indoors is not a long term options. At all. Period.

For these tiny seedlings... Probably keeping the, inside until Spring is a decent idea, but there is little as far as recommendations that will be accurate here since 1. There were sprouted way too late, and 2. We don't make where you live, please update your profile to show your location.

Good luck.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Gabby10109 - nice that you got 2 out of 3 seeds to sprout. It is rare that new to seed propagation hoobyists have that kind of success. Well done. Your heat mat and light garden set up sound pretty good, you must have set this up for other ''crops'' pehaps vegetables.

To really give you good advice, we need a rough idea of where you live. So we can give you better advice. Please edit your profile to include city and state, so people giving advise will know your climate. Local climate is important. And for yourself, when reading advise note the location of the poster. Be skeptical or cautious about weather advice from prople in significantly warmwr or colder climates. Their advice might be good, or might not.

Amur maple - as said above, it is the go to 2nd choice for bonsai, used mainly by people who live in climates that are too cold to be successful with trident maples outdoor all year round. Amur maples are hardy into zone 3, most of North America. It is extremely cold tolerant, and seems reasonably warmth tolerant, thought I don't know how far south (warm in winter) it can be grown. For bonsai mostly used by people in USDA zone 6 and colder.

 

[GrimLore]

It is extremely cold tolerant, and seems reasonably warmth tolerant, thought I don't know how far south (warm in winter) it can be grown.

I am in zone 6b-7 and they do great here but you must acclimate the young one's potted for a few years in filtered sun. In the ground I have one that was planted at 6 - 8 foot nursery grown. It was planted in the fall of 2010 I am told and is now 20 foot or so and in super condition - that one being older when planted has been in full sun here but during very hot conditions gets flooded with water at least 30 minutes a day or it droops horribly even at the current height and age.
I have done ok with them here but I would caution others in this climate or warmer as you have. They take a LOT of attention and nurturing to maintain properly and unless you are retired and are willing to spend a lot of time they will most likely die after a few short years... I find them to have a very nice spring and fall show though and worth my time.

Grimmy