Ruth wrote: l understand an Acer may be the best for bonsai but could the trees i have work?

Acer Palmatum is great for bonsai! However, there are many varieties and the Acer Palmatum Dissectums are less suitable.
Yes, it will work, but the dissectums will be harder and the result will not be as good.

Good luck with putting those trees in the ground. Make sure they are protected during the winter because up north your trees might have problems with the cold. I too am considering putting my trees in the ground, so please update the forum on how it goes. Good luck with the trees!

Thanks Josh. We have quite a few Japanese maples in our neighborhood and they seem to do well even with our winters. My town in on the shores of Lake Michigan on the west side. Because of this we have something called lake effect. This keeps us cooler in the summer compared to inland and warmer in the winter. We have more snow than inland but temps don't drop as low. I do have to watch for winds so I'll probably take some precautions there. I will keep you all updated.