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Message: [QUOTE="MaryMary, post: 89134, member: 3521"] I am a bit confused. :confused: You are trying to grow a maple tree? You are trying to vermicompost [B]and[/B] grow a maple tree? I found [B]this[/B] thread of yours, and I read it, also. I'm pretty sure you are just trying to grow a maple tree......[B]?[/B] [URL]https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/tried-growing-sugar-maples-3-times.3532/[/URL] This is a long post, but I'm trying to answer your questions about maples [B]and[/B] vermicomposting. I'm going to [B]try [/B]to merge the two threads together and help with what I can. [B]From your other thread:[/B] You do NOT want the soil to be moist at all times. Maples do not grow in a bog or marsh. You [B]want[/B] the soil to dry out a bit between watering. I'd imagine over-watering was the cause of the yellowing leaves. I'd attribute the slow growth to the fact that they are trees. They have well over 50 years to attain full growth, they are not like an annual that has one shot and it's done. The fruit and vegetable scraps you are feeding the worms - are you running them through a blender first? Or simply throwing parings and cuttings on top of the soil? Remember a worm's mouth is [B]very[/B] small. Also, a worm eats about half its body weight in a day. If there are only 8 worms in there, you may be WAY overfeeding them. Another quote from your other thread: [U]A week without rain is [B]NOT[/B] a drought!![/U] :eek: :eek: I am from Ohio. I too have tried to grow maples in a container. One thing you need to know is that maples get an extensive root system, and need room to spread out. If you [B]think[/B] they may be root-bound, you need a bigger pot. If I had to guess at your problem growing them longer than 3 years, it is that you are over-watering [B]and[/B] not protecting the pot over the winter. Yes, a maple will survive a hard winter, but in nature, a tree's roots are partially protected from freezing by the ground they are in. Once the roots fill your pot, they will be closer to the outer sides of the container. That means they are subject to freezing. If you are going to grow them in a pot, you need to dig a hole in the ground big enough to put your container in, and cover the whole thing with dirt. Dig it out in the spring. ( I got tired of digging ever-bigger holes every fall! ) They are not going to sprout in the freezer, no matter how much water is in the bag. Maple seeds do not germinate in winter. Judging from the 100+ maple trees we mow down in the yard every spring, they do not need to be stratified to grow. A plant knows what time of year its seeds will grow, and a maple drops its seeds in the spring. Grow them fresh from the tree. If the temperature drops below 40 degrees F, they'll die. [/QUOTE]

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