It won't cause any harm, the seeds just wait for their opportunity to spout when conditions are right in nature, same is true in an artificial setting. However, you might be ok getting a jump start early, you really want you seedlings to be a couple months old indoors before transitioning them to the elements. I mean, I guess you could grow from seed directly outside, but it's a lot harder to control all the environmental variables that way

Oh I was only concerned about it not liking indoor conditions even if it's only going to be a month until it goes outside. Do newly germinated seedlings have a better tolerance for indoor conditions? I don't have a greenhouse or anything.

With seedlings, I have not had any issues, even without using any type of humidity dome for a few months, but I do make sure I mist them daily. But you could also add a dome to the tray, they don't cost much. For cuttings, iv'e just flipped a clear plastic box over the top and that worked fine too. The humidity requirements for seedlings isn't as strict as cuttings, or especially healing grafts

Oh thats good news. I guess in front of window in a cool room of about 40-60 degrees with bottom heat would do it?

Ah and btw.. I know you helped me with this last year quite a lot so I will tell you but I am going to take cuttings off my chamaecyparis obtusa and attempt to root it again. Last year was all 15 cuttings fail but I think I know what I did wrong. Haven't given up! Although do you know where I can get a 1% IBA rooting hormone? Don't see any online

Google search: 'Dip n Grow'

I got my dip n gro couple days ago. I plan on taking cuttings tomorrow.

But going back to stratifying seeds. I soaked the pine seeds for about 32 hours and then placed it on a wet paper towel and ziplocked it. I poked holes in the ziplock bag with a tooth pick to allow some air. Was that necessary or is air flow going to make things worse?

According to this site, pinus thunbergii seed doesn't need any pre-treatment.

Japanese Black Pine growing from seed:

I know. It even said that on the directions on the original packet. But throughout my research it was stated that it can't hurt to stratify and can actually help increase germination rates. So I am experimenting on it. Now can someone tell me whether poking holes on the bag was a good idea or not.

Well I just sowed the seeds. First day of stratification 12/7 and waited almost 3 months. I know, unnecessary but hopefully by the time it germinates it will be past frost and I could raise the seedlings outside. Didn’t want it to sow too soon and keep it indoors for too long post germination. So this is actually a bonsai kit my brother got for me from Japan but I’m not using it as bonsai. 3 seeds in that one pot under a gro light that I put plugs of vegetable/fruit seeds in to grow in but since the light seems strong enough I will try it on my pines. I also put a Saran Wrap to cover the pot so it doesn’t dry out as fast. But I poked 3 holes in it with a toothpick so some air can go through. It is in front of a south facing window so it gets plenty of sunlight along with that gro light. Is there such thing as too much light when growing tree seedlings? Anyone know?

warmth & moisture is what it needs right now

reading other posts

Agreed!

The light and sun will be needed after the seeds germinate and start to grow.

From what I've read, thunbergii seeds do not need light to germinate.

Light is hard to overdo considering most pine like full outside sun.

And don't let things in pots get too hot!

Hey so one out of the three germinated but I think upside down?? The seed is rising from the soil. Is this supposed to happen? I thought I sowed the seeds the right direction. I hope it doesn’t grow into the soil and eventually die... someone pls help

It's not upside down. Google geotropism. Many seeds push the seed case up like that. I'm surprised you haven't seen it before. Even lettuce does it. The seedling will push the case off when it's ready. Don't fiddle with it. Let it get on with growing.

Thanks for the clarification. This will be my first ever seed grown woody plant. Only seeds I propagated before were annuals and chives and I don't think I saw the seed rising up like that on them. I've seen some norway maples germinating from the ground do that but I would always pull them out so never got to know the whole process of it. So now that it germinated, do I need to give it more light? Can I bring them outside yet in full sun? Currently its in my room and my rooms temps are about 65 degrees average. Its in front of a south facing window.

This phenomenon is not restricted to woody plants. Chives certainly do it, as do many annuals. In fact chives come up like green hairpins and only straighten up and push off the seed case later.

Ok but I’m just saying I’ve never seen them do that. So does anyone know if there is an ideal temperature range for my newly germinated seedlings? I’ll be keeping it indoors for another month but wondering if 65-70 F is ok. And should I use gro lights ? I heard that even a full sun passing through a window isn’t enough.

65-70 is perfect, just keep the soil moist, but not wet. Grow light not required with the natural light your getting on south facing window. I never put the seeds in "right side up" and they always sort it out on their own. Even if you flip them upside down they will right themselves. They can determine up based on the pull of gravity.

I grew palms from seed this year and that was odd!! Some grew seed pushing up like conifers, others pushed a radical skyward... I couldn't figure out what was going on, even looking at a bunch of pictures.. eventually the plant starts growing off the root and either way the green shoot goes in the right directions, weather the seed is above the soil or below, doesn't seem to matter, they get it right.

Congrats on the success so far!

Thanks. Finally someone actually helps me with my first woody plant seed propagation. I guess people in this forum don’t grow from seed! Ok, I will do all that. I covered the pot with Saran Wrap but with a toothpick stuck in the media to hold up the Saran Wrap so it doesn’t touch the seedling. I want to retain as much moisture and humidity as possible for it.

Yea I realize now. I first thought that it was usually annuals and perennials that can grow the right way no matter how the seed was planted but good to know trees can do that too. Good luck on your palms. A houseplant for you? But It’s really interesting how plants can adjust themselves correctly. All in all plants come from nature and seeds don’t always disperse in the right direction in the ground so that makes sense.

Heruga, I try not to comment on topics in which I have no experience or knowledge. That's why I answered your fear that your seedling was 'upside down' but didn't offer advice on growing. I do grow things from seed and have grown quite a few trees from seed, but I've never done it indoors, never done it with heat and have never grown anything at all using lights. So I had no input on your other questions.

Did you google geotropism as I suggested? That would tell you that roots go down and shoots go up - no matter what the plant.

Sorry floral, I wasn’t referring to you. I knew you didn’t respond because you didn’t have an answer. Sometimes I just get very few to no replies at all here in this conifer forum when I ask a question or advice. It’s always been like that ever since I joined here. And I know for a fact that there are super knowledgeable people of experts and pros here. And I did look up geotropism. In fact i think I learned this in my class.. don’t completely remember but I know I learned phototropism. But yea it means plants growth responding to gravity. Makes sense now.