Hi, welcome to the forum. Greenman's being too modest here, but he's right about what he said. The only bonsai that can be grown inside are basically tropicals - basically because under certain conditions there are a couple of subtropical species that can be tried if you know what you're doing, but conditions must be ideal. Maples won't grow indoors anywhere, anytime, so they're definitely out, as would be anything cold hardy. You're best to start with something like Ficus as there are many different ones available all over and care is fairly straightforward, though not without problems as even experienced growers find with any species in given situations. Remember that the majority of trees are not grown 'up' to be little bonsai and then magically switched off to stay that size, but are cut back from larger trees (not as "cuttings", but as 'chops') allowing smaller new branches to grow (how and when matter for each type) on the fattest trunk achievable - except in the case of a couple of styles - which give the illusion of age by their proportion to each other. "Growing out" trees in the ground is the fastest way to get those trunks, but not practical for tropicals anywhere but in tropical climates, so large containers of various kinds ('training pots or boxes') are used vs little designer pots that keep trees from doing anything more than minimum growth, and which require roots and branches to be pruned to fit pots (which should really only be used once trees are developed and styled over time). Look at www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html for lots of great advice on indoor growing (and particularly Ficus), plus www.bonsai4me.com, plus try to find a local club, which is usually a great way to learn as you can watch how things are done on the spot. Whatever you do, never go by attached tags on plants for care, as they are usually so general (and often actually wrong) as to be meaningless for individual plants and take no account of particular environments. Do be prepared to spend on basics up front, like 4' fluorescent, 2 bulb fixtures with full spectrum lights. Don't waste time misting things as it... wastes time, but do use humidity trays, ones that span the width of trees' growth, holding stones and water, as long as you keep the water below the stones so pots don't wick it up and rot roots. Learn first, spend later and enjoy the ride :0)!

Yah, great plants. You are so far ahead of us up here. Garden centers are just now starting to open up and bring in starter plants...not many pepper plants yet though... mostly tomatoes. That HHW is a true HHW, as evidenced by the upward growing pods. A lot of times you wind up with Sweet or Hot Banana peppers instead. It looks like a bumper crop on them as well. Bruce

The latest thing I've heard on this, coming from a business perspective, is that having a web site is becoming passe, with Facebook being where you want to have your information. Meanwhile, supposedly any people who are serious about promoting themselves have a web site up, are on Facebook AND are using Twitter as well.

I'll leave the soil mix for someone else. Many people have their own "special formula". It sounds like you have that under control though. Hopefully the manure was aged/composted so it won't be too rich. It is definitely not too early to plant the above listed vegetables. In fact, you could have done it quite a bit earlier. I will provide a link to the UT Ag Ext site below. Take a look at their Guide to Cool-Season Vegetables. It's probably too late to winter sow. Usually this is done earlier when the weather is consistently cold. Planting indoors would be a very good idea and will give you an important head start. I have already planted mine and have little baby plants popping up. If you are going to grow them from seed, I would plant ASAP. Here is a link that might be useful: University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service Publications