u/codex1962

Washington, DC

Last year I planted a bunch of mint and basil in a pot and kept it on my deck outside my kitchen. Didn’t bother replanting this year and only some of the mint came back, because mint. Also rarely bothered clearing out all the maple spinners and leaves that fell on them.

Then last night I noticed these (silver?) maple shoots sprouting up! Normally this would intrigue me a little, but right now I’m particularly interested in keeping them alive because they came from this huge tree we have lived under for three years, and we are about to move. I would love to take this living memento of this home (where I’ve spent basically the first three years of my marriage) to our new one.

(Eventually I’d love to replant in the ground somewhere they can thrive. Our new house may or may not be suitable (it’s kind of a small lot and the corners already all have trees) but that’s a next year or the year after that problem. And if not there my parents have a property where I’m sure they’d let me plant a sentimental tree or two.)

Anyway, first things first: how do I keep these alive and growing?

I think I should transfer them to a new, smaller pot(s)? Should I keep them together or pot each sprout separately? Should I see how connected they are in the roots? (But I don’t want to risk damaging the roots, so should I err on the side of potting them together so I can just keep all the soil around their roots as undisturbed as possible?) Should I do it right away or push back the encroaching mint and let them grow in this pot a bit longer? When I do transfer them, should I use regular potting soil or some kind of mulch mix? I’ve read different things.

Sun and water? I don’t water the mint to speak of as we get plenty of rain. The back of our house faces southwest so they get full sun early in the morning, then mom tree starts to shade them, and by mid afternoon or so they’re fully shaded by our block of row houses. But I could move them to wear the full shade starts a little earlier?

TIA!