I have a mature maple tree in my yard. Every year it drops seeds which start growing in the most inconvenient of places, like my gutters. Next season I would like to actively cultivate these seeds and plant some new maple trees where I want them.
What will I need to plan for to make this project successful?
Is growing trees from seeds as simple as growing anything else from seeds?
Start by making sure your seed are "stratified" (put through a cold period to simulate winter).
An example of stratification: usually started mid-February.
Essentially, you break the wings off the seeds, put them in a jar of warm water, and let them soak for a day, then you put them in some damp peat moss, sand, soil, etc in a plastic bag (with a few holes poked in it) and store the bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or until the seeds begin to sprout. - link
Then around mid-May (or sooner if they sprout in the fridge) plant them in a pot.
The temperature and duration of Stratification depends on the climate your seeds like. See the link "Stratified" for more information on various trees' stratification requirements.
