I use a flat piece of metal or similar to try to get about a 1 inch square of soil about 3 inches deep. Pop out and plant in individual pots. Plant at same depth.

I use standard potting soil for seedlings for 1st 2 years.
I grow mine in about 50% shade the 1st year or 2.

Sounds like you have more than enough to work with, so I wouldn't spend too much time trying to baby them. You can always plant several to a pot and cull later if all grow.

Keith

Thanks,I'm looking forward to see how they turn out.Different color variations and leaf styles.I also have some red leaved ones I got from a grove of Bloodgoods,also different leaves.It sounds like I'm doing the right thing,I just wanted to make sure. Thanks again,Eric

Seedlings can be beautiful trees but I don't think you will make much money off of them. Most people want to buy named variety JM. I don't think you would get much money from seedlings selling to the public. If you are growing them for your own garden than that is different.

Just don't try to sell them as named varieties, making sure that people know they are seedlings. I have grown some seedling JMs that turned into very nice trees, including a Bloodgood seedling in my yard right now that keeps its deep red color all summer long.

I've also seen seedling JMs for sale in many nurseries, for prices generally about half of the named varieties.

Please don't get too excited.

Maybe everything will turn out beautifully for you, but, understand that the maples that do well (for the most part) are grafted. Seedling roots, esp. the red varieties, just aren't vigorous or tough enough to grow the plant into the tree we all desire. And as stated earlier seedlings usually don't come close to the parent's characteristics.

JM are grafted onto seedling stock. If seedlings didn't have vigorous roots they wouldn't be used for rootstock. You could always sell the seedlings for rootstock to JM nurseries for grafting purposes.