Getting a Bonsai to sprout in the spring

I bought two trees to bonsai last summer and trained, potted, pruned and cared for them appropriately according to bonsai books.

One is a Korean maple and one is an American larch.

I have not winterized them by keeping them out in freezing temperatures though. (I live in Wisconsin). They have been kept indoors and watered periodically.

I'm wondering how I can ensure they will sprout leaves in the spring? Or is it already too late and they won't grow?

None of my books talk about this. Will trees lie dormant in the winter months even if they are in warm temperatures, and still sprout in the spring?

Any help would be appreciated. I am new to bonsai, but have been interested in it for many years.

Thanks!

Ouch! Dormancy is extremely important for both those species and both have a minimum and maximum zone range. I lost quite a few plants while learning about overwintering in colder climates. At this point lightly scratch the bark if you see a nice bright, fresh looking green than you maybe still in luck. If you have an unheated garage I would put them in it until spring, making sure they are still watered and don't dry out, a below ground basement walk way is the next best thing. I would slowly build up the cold tolerance for a week or so, out during the day, indoors at night until you leave it in one of those spaces until spring. At that time you also need to be careful and do the same to acclimatize them back to the outdoors. Be gentle with them next summer, I wouldn't expect that they will be in top health for another season or so.
Good luck.

Frankenfurter wrote:
I have not winterized them by keeping them out in freezing temperatures though. (I live in Wisconsin). They have been kept indoors and watered periodically.
Thanks!

Let's put it this way. What you have done is the equivalent of buying an animal & then keeping it awake 24/7 and not letting it get any sleep. As Grafton said, starting right now, keep them as cold as possible, but just above freezing, until you can put them outdoors in the spring. Since they haven't been acclimated, you can't put them in the below-freezing temperatures they normally tolerate. If they are not too big. and you don't have anyplace else, wrap them in plastic and put them in the refrigerator. They don't need light.
Iris