Sure, the little saplings ought to grow into healthy young trees, which
will do fine in the DC area -- IF you can get them through this first
winter.

It's probably too late to "harden them off" sufficiently to leave
outdoors. Nonetheless, it would be a good idea, as long as the weather
remains above freezing, to put them in separate pots (with a generous
amount of space for young growing roots) and leave these outdoors
exposed to the elements. This will produce stronger and tougher
saplings than leaving them in an inside window.

The best thing for the coming months would probably be a cool
greenhouse, or perhaps a sunny window in an unheated basement. Failing
that, you'll have to try with an ordinary sunny window, preferably not
in a spot near a heat outlet or radiator. Unnatural heat, coupled with
dim indoor light, is a bad combination that encourages weak, lanky
growth.

In that regard also, you should avoid giving them too much fertilizer,
and especially fertilizer with a high nitrogen (N) content -- the first
number in a fertilizer formula like 15-10-10.

If you've got a LOT of seedlings, you might do well to select a small
number to pamper through the winter. In cases like this, I used to let
each kid pick ONE plant as his or her own. They could decorate the
pot, and they were nominally responsible for caring for the plant
(though in practice I mostly took care of this, for the plants' sake).

Next spring, if all goes well, you can reverse the process -- when the
weather begins to warm, gradually begin introducing the plants to the
wild, until they acclimate to the stronger sunlight and harsher weather
conditions. Remember when you finally plant them to allow plenty of
room to grow. It will be great fun for the kids as the years go by --
IF we can pull through the few months ahead.



On 2006-11-14 17:58:21 -0500, "Buck Turgidson" said:

As a "teachable moment" with my little kids, I we put some seeds from
some apples we ate in a planter. Now, 6 weeks later, some appear to
have sprouted. Will these do well here in the DC area?

Thanks.


--

Wundern kann es mich night, das unser Herr Christus mit Dernen
Gern und mit Sündern gelebt, geht's mir doch eben auch so.

I can't be surprised that our Lord, Jesus Christ, liked to hang out
With sinners and harlots.* That's how it is with me, too.
* -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832