Hey guys! I’m interested in buying some seedlings of Maple, American Elm and maybe Willow and plant them in pots to let them grow.

But I’m not sure how can I grow them outside in my lovely but cold
Canadian winter. Temperature often falls to about -25c (~ -13f if I’m not mistaken). The seedlings I selected are local trees and are hardy in my zone so I think they would do well but as seedling, I suppose they need some protection and I don’t own a greehouse. I do have a cold room in my house but there is no sunlight at all. I’m planning on building an outside closed terrace but it won’t be until 1 year.

This would be my first attempt at growing from seedlings, any help is appreciated!

Thank you in advance

If it is hardy species the climate should not pose any problems. Hardy species do survive the winter even as saplings. Most of the trees around you have developed from seed without human interference.

What you can do to help them a little extra is to put the pots on the ground in a place sheltered from strong winds. If they get covered in snow, excellent. Snow gives good isolation and temperature are seldom lower than just a few degrees under freezing under the snow. Decidious trees dont need light in winter.

I was concern about the pot as many people told me that being in pot reduces nutrients a tree can get, but that is some golden advices, I will give that a try and hopefully it’ll work out. Do they need to be watered if they are covered in snow or snow provides enough moisture?

Regular fertilization supplies all the nutrients it needs. Once a week or so, follow directions on the package, something relatively balanced now, less nitrogen when fall gets there, and stop in the winter.

You can build a frame up against the wall of the apartment, put the tree in it, cover it with plastic, and let warmth from the apartment bleed into the frame to moderate the cold.

No need to water in winter.

As you said you lived in Canada, then you want someone with experiance with your local climate.

Google Nigel Saunders on Youtube, he is from Canada, watch some of his video's about how to protect and how to grow them in your local climate.

Easy species are the tree's that are growing in nature from canada, so you know already that they can handle the winter.
Inporting species that are not native you canada, will require additional care.

Tropfrog wrote: No need to water in winter.

Some climates this is true, where there is a lot more water falling from the sky than evaporating up into it.

In some climate areas the substrate in the pot dries out and you have to water to keep the roots from drying out. In Alabama we have rain for a couple of weeks then sun and temps up in the short sleeve shirt range with no rain for weeks, and watering is necessary, every week or so.

Check the soil. If it is dry, water.

Ivan Mann wrote:

Tropfrog wrote: No need to water in winter.

Some climates this is true, where there is a lot more water falling from the sky than evaporating up into it.

In some climate areas the substrate in the pot dries out and you have to water to keep the roots from drying out. In Alabama we have rain for a couple of weeks then sun and temps up in the short sleeve shirt range with no rain for weeks, and watering is necessary, every week or so.

Check the soil. If it is dry, water.

Note to myself, always quote if there is a risk for missunderstanding. The question was if trees that are covered in snow in winter needs water. The answer is no, and I am quite sure that goes all over the world.