Hi, if you just put them in the fridge, I suggest getting them out of there and cleaning off the soil, because it's not a good idea to use it for germinating that way - a just-damp paper towel (squeezed dry after wetting) in a plastic baggie is probably better as soil can affect the seed(ling). You can also use perlite in the same way - just barely damp enough to be not-dry, and in fact that may be the better option as you can then just very carefully transfer the whole thing in a teaspon onto the top of a small pot of soil with perlite mixed in once they've sprouted, until they're ready to go into regular pots.

Sorry - maples do grow fairly shallow roots in a more lateral pattern than other trees that grow straight down or develop tap roots, so wide vs. deep is always best, within reason.

well thanks for the info about the germinating but I just wanted to let you know, I didnt just put them in the fridge for germinating i have had them in there for two and a little months in hibernation. When i pull them out on the 12th of Nov. I am now wondering if then I should put them into the papertowel because if so i also have a high quality vermiculite mix for seedlings to plant them in instead of the paper towel if that would be better.

Oh it's way too late to bother now about the paper towel, and vermiculite is not something you want for bonsai at any stage as it turns to mush quickly in the soil and allows it to compact, making 'breathing' hard for the roots. Why did you start the seeds when you did - it's too cold to keep seedlings that age outside, but it's going to be very hard to keep them alive indoors where they don't belong over winter. You could have just planted them in the ground now and watched them come up in spring.

o.k. well that is fine about not being ablt to put them in the paper towel or vermiculite. But do you think i should keep them in the soil i bought from walmart for germinating?By germinating i mean when i pull them out to grow. The soil breaths pretty good so i think it would be fine but it doesnt have any sand or any clay.
Also I know i have planted these seeds at a weird time of the season but where i live here in gilbert AZ, the average temp this weekend was around 85 still . im not sure they will have too hard of a time getting going but since you said i will have to keep them inside while they are still growing throughout winter.im now wondering what would I do to keep them alive inside during the coldest part of the year. I have not done anthing like this with bonsai seeds so sorry i have such bad timing.
Oh yea and the reason i decided not to put the seeds in the ground is because where i live in gilbert the backyards are crappy and there is no good soil to put them in. two thirds of my backyard is pure clay ground covered in little decorative rocks.it stinks.
thanks for your help btw

I generally put mine in 4" pots or, if numerous, in starting flats w/ good potting soil, mid or late fall and leave them out side, most, generally germinate in spring.

thanks for the info. Lucy i know you told me it is too late for the paper towel but i went ahed and did it anywayse. I was afraid of the seeds drying out because the air in refridgerators is really dry and i thought it could damage the seeds if they dried out too much. i will keep posted on these since i over wintered them to be coming out to grow in a few weeks. sorry for the bad season timing Lucy. thanks again

elijah