I live in zone 6b and my white pines just sprout. I'm a total beginner and thought they wouldve gone by now. Is there any hope of hardening them off in time for winter? I dug one up and it will be sheltered in a garage.
leave them alone they will be fine-or they won't I have loblolly coming up now too and the do fine over winter on their own and not nearly as hardy and WP-Also native eastern white pine in your area are pretty difficult as bonsai-Just an FYI
I walk past a nice white pine on my way to work each day with lots of cones. I'll probably collect some seeds this fall to plant in the spring. I believe it to be a Japanese white pine but I'm not sure what variety it is.
I would leave the seedlings where they are until they are in their 2nd growing season. Your zone 6b climate is mild enough the seedlings should have no problem with winter cold. They are hardy in the ground through zone 4, so 6b is more than mild enough. White pine can survive with a fairly short growing season.