Overwintering in MN?

I love Japanese maples and was really very sad when I moved here to the Twin Cities to discover that they are not *quite* hardy here. Could I get a smallish variety, put it in a large wheeled tub, and just roll it into my insulated (but not heated) garage once it drops it leaves, rolling it out in the spring when the temps start warming up a bit? It stays plenty cold in the garage (just not QUITE as cold as it is outside, and of course there would be no drying wind) so it should stay dormant, I'd think. And if it's dormant it shouldn't need sunlight?

Many folks in Minn grow Jms in pots with great success and garage or shed them in the winter. With containerized Jm's the JM world is your oyster... literally hudreds of super cool cultivars to choose from. If you rwant to plant out all is not lost but you are severely limited. One option is the Korean Maple Pseudosieboldianum ssp Pseudosieboldianum it is zone 4 hardy and has both Japanese maple shape and color . It is very hard to come by . Most growers don't seem to realize it's value in widening the scope of JM growing areas. Your other choice is the Griseum which isn't very JM like but has the exfoliating bark that is stunning in the winter .. It has large catkin buds in spring and great fall color..it is from China... It is maybe a touch less hardy but if sugar maples grow there so will Griseum .. it has the same time clock and comes out late in spring. Remember up there no planted Jm will grow very big or very fast and should be considered at most a semi dwarf.. Davidsan.

do not know what you mean by wheeled tub - for some of mine that are border line zoners i have them in containers and bring them into the garage for the winter - they do fine - not all the room in the world in there with two cars so they are mostly dwarfs.