Question
My second grade class discovered sprouting seeds in our organic apples, so we planted them and 3 trees began to grow.  Over the summer, they grew fine and are now about 18 inches tall.  We have a root cellar and I was considering letting the trees go dormant in the cellar.  It is freezing and dark, but not extremely cold. Do they need some light?  How should they be treated (sparse watering)? Should I put wire around to protect against any voles?
I have them in a fairly large container, and was considering transplanting to a bucket in the spring. I have them on a sunporch now and can I keep them the second year on the sun porch?  I live in the Kenny Lake area south of Copper Center.  Thank you for any input you may have!

Answer
You can certainly overwinter the seedling in your basement. Leaving it in the dark for a few months will not hurt it. I would, however, invest in a gro-light or some type of fluorescent fixture since the plant will need light in early spring prior to transplanting it outdoors.

Once transplanted, it is always a good idea to put a tree guard around the trunk of the plant. Otherwise, rabbits and/or voles will gnaw at the wood. Speaking from firsthand experience, this will kill the tree.

My recommendation is to transplant it in the soil next spring rather than a large bucket or plastic container. This will give the roots a chance to spread and establish through next summer. By next fall, the tree will be hardy and will survive the winter.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike