Most plants are not good houseplant candidates, due in part to light levels too low and in primary because of low humidity. JMs are not an exception to that generality. When maples reach a stage of deep dormancy due to shorter days (actually, longer nights are the trigger) and increasing chill, the tree needs a certain number of chill units that only accumulate between 34.5 - 53.8* F to be released from dormancy in a state that allows the plant to grow normally. If the plant's chill requirements weren't met, at least several notable of many potential physiological issues are very likely to be made manifest in the upcoming growth cycle and in many cases, the next. Initiation of growth pretty much trumps the plant's ability to resist cold, so once the tree exits the dormant or quiescent state (quiescence occurs after the plant has had sufficient chilling to release it from dormancy, but temps remain too cold to stimulate top growth) it has to be kept from freezing. In a perfect world, the best spot for your plant would be something equal to a cold hoophouse where temps can be relied upon to stay above freezing and below 50*. Best luck. Al

Thanks for your response, kaitain4! After posting here on Sunday, I went to the Container Gardening Forum and was introduced to Al's Gritty Mix and I think I will use it for the potting medium; it sounds similar to what you are recommending, too - bark and gritty material. I've never used a soilless mixture before so I am a bit nervous but the mixture has won over a lot of folks here at GW - and on Dave's Garden - so I am going to give it a try. Finding all of the required ingredients (or their substitutes) and getting them together and mixed before the tree arrives is the challenge! I am purchasing the tree from Davidsans Japanese Maples; it will be a 1 gallon tree and David recommends just using a 2 gallon pot for its first transplant so that the tree doesn't "swim" in too big of a pot. I have one that is just a bit bigger than 2 gallons that I plan to use. The overwintering is the main problem. I do have a shed that I could put it in, though. It does get some sunlight in there during the winter because it has some small windows, but I should be able to keep the tree out of direct sunlight and it will have complete protection from the wind. Watering it shouldn't be a problem. The tree is only hardy to -15 degrees F but we seldom have below zero temps here in the Denver area, so, with the added insulation of the bubble wrap, as you suggested, I think it will be OK. Do you think this will work? Holly

there has been alot written on container soil here ...your choice is probably not the best...I doubt it will adversly hurt it in the short run but may compact and not be the best in the long run...Fertilizing JM's should only happen in early spring and MG has fertilizer ...that being said CQ's are pretty hardy and probably won't be hurt...here's the link to the gospel on containes ...I might take this with a small grain of salt since you are only doing one plant but it may give you a idea on how to augment your CQ maybe this fall if you are up for repotting ..I think some of this is a bit clinical and over the top for most folks but a hybrid use of this info may be useful to almost all of us and the basic logic behind it is correct IMHO!!!...whether you want to follow it to the tee is your choice or as I said maybe hybridize the jist of it which is what I would do unless you really want to "do" containers ...not just one...David http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/maple/msg112314383375.html?23

"We also learned that the potting mix the JM's arrived in was heavy on the bark side.This is commonplace with all growers and grafters of JM's. It ROTS within 6-12 months, so the bark must be removed from the JM's whenever you up-pot...... Remember this: Growers don't ship plants with sustainable soil. It only lasts 6 months." I am going to disagree with this :-) While I don't do it commercially, I grow all my JM's in containers and have for many years.......my oldest is approaching 30 y.o. And my potting mix is and has always been heavily barked-based as it produces a very freely draining, textural and extremely durable media. With this barked based mix (the 5-1-1 discussed intensively on the Container Gardening forum), I do not need to repot or refresh the soil for 3-5 years depending on the container and the size of the tree. Even at that point the soil is still in reasonably good condition. The location and depth of the perched water table is entirely dependent on the soil media being used, not the size/depth of the container. It is quite possible to maintain a small seedling or 1 year graft in a 4" pot or a larger, 7" deep trade gallon for as long as necessary before up-potting provided you are using a highly textural soil that allows for fast drainage. Due to the vagaries of soil physics and water movement, there will always be a PWT in the base of the container but the better the potting mix, the lower/thinner the PWT will be. The reason growers focus on bark-based mixes is for this very reason. They hold up well long term yet provide the aeration and very necessary fast drainage but the degree of moisture retention JM's are happiest in. And also maintain a low PWT. Although it would not be my first choice, your perlite based mix should offer a similar situation. However, I would encourage you to disavow yourself of the notion that a barked based potting mix deteriorates rapidly. 30+ years of using it and growing a large collection of containerized trees (a variety but primarily JM's) has adequately proven that to be inaccurate :-) I would also encourage you to read this thread on container soils and water movement thoroughly to educate yourself on the many qualities of a bark-based mix.