This is a follow-up to last fall's "How to over-winter tiny seedlings?" Thanks for excellent insight and suggestions.

The story so far: some wealthy neighbors bought the house between us, and tore it down to make a Japanese garden. Ironically, that included cutting down a very successful acer palmatum about 25' tall and at least 50 years old, in excellent health and of good form.

Just before this, I picked up a few dozen seedlings from under the tree. Most were 2-4" high, barely protruding from the oak duff. Don't know if that makes them yearlings or older, given deep shade there.

I put each in a small pot, and per your advice, kept them damp but not wet all winter. They were in an unheated greenhouse, in complete shade. So there was some freeze-thaw, but no sunburn.

Amazingly, every single one survived! All 68 are now growing rapidly into saplings, no two with the same leaf shape or color. (Is this normal?)

They are in porous "fake" loam with little nutrient content. Should I add fertilizer? If so, what kind and how much/often? I will put the largest ones out this winter, and probably keep most of them inside for one more year.

Thanks very much!

-Chelydra