Overwintering Maple Saplings

[u/RageDeemz]

I planted a few silver maple (I think) seeds on a whim earlier this summer with my youngest as an opportunity to introduce her to the life cycle of plants. They were initially planted in some old plastic plug style pots, and potted up into these bigger pots a few weeks ago. What would I need to do to get these through the winter? I’m in southern Wisconsin (zone 5). Should they come inside? Stay outside - in their pots or in the ground? I am maybe looking at replacing a much larger maple that was rotted on the inside and came down last year - would a tree grown from a seedling such as this be a good replacement, and what do I need to consider when replacing a mature tree?

[u/Naomi_grintots12]

I've had success using straw mulch and a cold frame to protect my maple saplings from harsh winters - worth trying for those struggling with winter damage