Coaxing Japanese Maples

[syncom2]

Hello,
Late last spring I was able to successfully transplant (into my lawn) 3 newly spouted Japanese Maple saplings that I found growing underneath a mature tree in a local cemetery. I babied them along throughout the summer months with timely waterings, etc.. So all went well with their survival last summer/fall… far as I could visually tell. Last fall I surrounded them with open-wire screening, to keep the rodents at bay. Unfortunately, not a one of them survived.
Hoping to possibly repeat last year's attempt at getting some young spouts transplanted, I wonder what I need to do differently to aid in their survival? I know we had two winter nights earlier this year when the temperature dipped down to five below zero. Would that in itself have caused their premature demise? In the future, I'm wondering if maybe cutting the bottoms out of some (white) five gallon buckets, then, turning them upside down over the seedlings is what I need/should to do to protect them from the harsh winter winds of Ohio? Or was that not a factor in their death? I planted them in a semi-rounded mound of loose potting soil, mixed with some of the surrounding soil that their roots would have to eventually grow into. The mound is about 8 inches above the surrounding ground, where I was hoping to allow them to grow into mature trees.
Any and all viable ideas and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
mb

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Mny times it is not the winter temps that get non-native trees but a late spring freeze.

Maybe try starting them indoors, wintering them in the garage, then when they get to a few years old plant them in a place that does not get a lot of early light. Northwestern exposure so that the spring sun does not "wake" them up too soon.

 

[syncom2]

I appreciate your Japanese Maple rearing thoughts and ideas John.
I was wondering tho… if I pot the young transplants in, say… oh, 12" deep pots, and maybe give them some partial shade during the summer, then in late fall, should I allow them to take a 'soft' freeze before relocating them in my garage, a location which/where temperatures rarely dip much below 40 degrees? I'm guessing they'll hafta be thrown into some type of dormancy stage for a few months or so – so they can shed their leaves, 'fore allowing 'em to wake up the following spring… correct?
Sounds somewhat challenging, but not one to shy from since I personally find much satisfaction participating with/in taking a tiny tree seed (or seedling) from its infantile stages in life… into a fine quality lawn specimen that others can appreciate as I. Of course, it is I who is merely the gardener in the process of… 'fore I possess no ability whatsoever in really 'making' something grow! It is only the Master creator Himself (a.k.a., 'Mother Nature') who can do it so much more genuinely professional!
Thanks again!
mb