Seedling is dying

[JohnBlund]

Hello, this is the first time ever for me.

I have a Bonsai kit and I have followed the instructions, I had them in artificial winter for 6 weeks and when I took them out I saw one had grown a seedling. It says now I should leave them out for more germination, but the seedling that has grown seems to be dying, it's losing colour and it is starting to bend down.
What should I do to save it?

Any help would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ShadyStump]

Hello, this is the first time ever for me.

I have a Bonsai kit and I have followed the instructions, I had them in artificial winter for 6 weeks and when I took them out I saw one had grown a seedling. It says now I should leave them out for more germination, but the seedling that has grown seems to be dying, it's losing colour and it is starting to bend down.
What should I do to save it?

Any help would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Adding a general location and/or growing zone to your profile will help us know exactly what conditions you're dealing with.

It sound like you might have gotten the seed all the way to sprouting during the cold stratification period, then tried to plant it.
But first, questions.
1: Pics so we can see what's happening to it.
2: What species of tree is it?
3: What's your whole grow set up look like, and exactly what procedure did you use to plant the seed?

 

[Shibui]

Adding a general location and/or growing zone to your profile will help us know exactly what conditions you're dealing with.

Agreed.
Location is important info to diagnose and advise.
Photos are also great as some of us may pick up factors you have not even thought of and will often give vital clues to problems.
Losing color and bending down may be a problem or just a reaction to lack of light.
Much more info required for real diagnosis.

 

[JohnBlund]

Well the instructions told me to have it in a light room but out of direct sunlight and in a 15-18C room. So I put it in the basement where there is still light coming in but it's the right temperature, it's the only place that is cold enough in the house.

I have not replanted them yet, it's said to replant them when the germination was done.

Thank's again for the help!

 

[19Mateo83]

Welcome to the nut house!

 

[BeepBeepBonsaiSheep]

Well the instructions told me to have it in a light room but out of direct sunlight and in a 15-18C room. So I put it in the basement where there is still light coming in but it's the right temperature, it's the only place that is cold enough in the house.

I have not replanted them yet, it's said to replant them when the germination was done.

Thank's again for the help!

I’d plant it. Once the seed breaks and you get that first root coming out, put it in soil

If they’re anything like this pic I have of some mesquite tree seeds I did last yr, then plant them

 

[sorce]

Is artificial winter the fridge?

Welcome to Crazy!

Odd climate the fridge, I'd imagine it would be easy to kill stuff just growing out of there.

Let it die! Save yourself!

Sorce

 

[JohnBlund]

Is artificial winter the fridge?

Welcome to Crazy!

Odd climate the fridge, I'd imagine it would be easy to kill stuff just growing out of there.

Let it die! Save yourself!

Sorce

That is actually what made the seed grow a seedling, so I would not call it crazy.

 

[sorce]

That is actually what made the seed grow a seedling, so I would not call it crazy.

That's not what I was calling crazy, though, if the Creator saw the ridiculous stuff we do to make use of Creation, they'd probably agree heh!?

Reminds me of this! Lol!

I read some things about how important pressure is to growth, reckon cells are structured accordingly, so if you get too many new cells in the fridge, it may not be able to adjust.

Truth truth.....
If we find ourselves needing to use anything unnatural in this endeavor, we are simply being too impatient.

Get a hundred elms to keep you busy while waiting for "cold stratification" seeds to grow!

Sorce

 

[ShadyStump]

Don't mind Sorce.
He's our resident crazy garden hermit.

Your seedling will need more light. Bright but indirect sunlight. If it's in a basement, it may not be enough.
Is the entire visible portion of it still green? If the base of the stem is turning brown or black, it could be damping off. That means you're watering too much.

Again if you know what species of tree it is, and have any pics it would help allot.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

But what species are the seeds and why they are not outside? xD

 

[JohnBlund]

Don't mind Sorce.
He's our resident crazy garden hermit.

Your seedling will need more light. Bright but indirect sunlight. If it's in a basement, it may not be enough.
Is the entire visible portion of it still green? If the base of the stem is turning brown or black, it could be damping off. That means you're watering too much.

Again if you know what species of tree it is, and have any pics it would help allot.

The steam is white until the top of the seedling, there it's still green.

It's a Japanese Black pine or Mountain Pine(Pinus Mugo Pumilio) I was dumb and lost the markings when I put them in the fridge.

I've moved them now to a better place with more light but it's out of direct sunlight...

Should I try to get the seedling healthier and then try to replant it?

 

[ShadyStump]

My experience with pines is limited, so others hopefully will have more information. Again, pictures if possible will give us a much better idea.

I'm assuming you have it one of those tiny little pots with a peat pellet. Those seem to be the standard for these starter kits.
You'll want to put it in a much bigger pot once it's outgrown the pot it's in, which would probably be some time this summer. Check back then if you have questions about it. Yes, wait until it's healthy and strong, and has put on some more growth.

If for any reason this one doesn't make it, don't give up. Those little bonsai starter kits are notorious for coming with bad seeds, or just info, and everything else imaginable wrong with them. The fact that you got one to sprout at all puts you in the top 20% of people here who've tried them. If this thing survives and you turn it into a real bonsai, that's a badge of honor no one here will neglect.
And there dozens of other ways to get a bonsai tree started, so just keep at it.

 

[Shibui]

Please post pictures and allow us to decide if the seedling is OK or not OK.
You are asking for help and claiming to have no idea but also making critical assessment of health of the germinating seeds. Can't be rookie and make sound assessments IMHO.

Also a location please. Your part of the world will determine the season, chances of freezing or dry, etc so is also critical information. You will see that others have added that info to their personal profile which then appears at the left of each post to help other members with better replies.

 

[JohnBlund]

My experience with pines is limited, so others hopefully will have more information. Again, pictures if possible will give us a much better idea.

I'm assuming you have it one of those tiny little pots with a peat pellet. Those seem to be the standard for these starter kits.
You'll want to put it in a much bigger pot once it's outgrown the pot it's in, which would probably be some time this summer. Check back then if you have questions about it. Yes, wait until it's healthy and strong, and has put on some more growth.

If for any reason this one doesn't make it, don't give up. Those little bonsai starter kits are notorious for coming with bad seeds, or just info, and everything else imaginable wrong with them. The fact that you got one to sprout at all puts you in the top 20% of people here who've tried them. If this thing survives and you turn it into a real bonsai, that's a badge of honor no one here will neglect.
And there dozens of other ways to get a bonsai tree started, so just keep at it.

Well, I got an update, that one seedling died. But now just this week 6 others started growing.

I got one peat pellet now where 3 are growing out of it and Idk if I should try and replant those so they don't start fighting over the space and maybe kill one another. They are pretty thick in size and the tallest once atm.

The other once are still pretty small so I'm gonna let them grow some more.

 

[Shibui]

Your seedlings are still really small. There's no problem for them to stay in the peat pot for a few more weeks. Then you have a choice to either transplant the whole pot into a larger pot of good potting soil or to separate the seedlings into individual pots at that stage.
I would not try to separate now as these little babies will be quite brittle and could break if not super careful.

 

[JohnBlund]

Your seedlings are still really small. There's no problem for them to stay in the peat pot for a few more weeks. Then you have a choice to either transplant the whole pot into a larger pot of good potting soil or to separate the seedlings into individual pots at that stage.
I would not try to separate now as these little babies will be quite brittle and could break if not super careful.

Thank you, good Sir!