Japanese white pine needle color and health question

[KennedyMarx]

I got a few barefoot Japanese white pine seedlings earlier this year as a gift from a friend. I don't have a lot of experience with pines. I potted them into little two inch seedling pots with akadama lava and pumice. It's been getting colder here and a couple have almost purple needles, which one of these happens to be the strongest one with a bud at the end. Are these ok? Any advice is appreciated. I figured I would try to let these get established in these pots then move them up to a colander or pond basket in a couple years.

Oh and these have been fertilized with Holly Tone.

 

[FrankP999]

Try adding micromax for micronutrients. Julian Adams says it really helps white pine. See http://www.adamsbonsai.com/adamsbonsi2013_015.htm.

Frank

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

They look like seedlings look when it starts getting cold out.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Purple is one of the "normal" winter colors for many pines, especially younger smaller pines. Your seedlings look OK. The dead stuff is a problem you 'fixed' or was collateral damage from being bare rooted.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Thanks everyone.

Leo, the dead needles were there when I got them, but I haven't messed with removing them because I didn't want to jar the roots around.

I gave them a little Ironite today. I realize these aren't very vigorous on their own rootstock, but I'm hoping maybe in ten or fifteen years I'll have something resembling a tree. Maybe that's too ambitious.