Just for clarification you are not growing a bonsai. You are growing a black pine. Bonsai is the way you train the tree, not the species.

As to your seedling, stop watering it every day and be patient. Trees have years ahead of them. They don't grow fast.

Perhaps we’re approaching the question with different assumptions, Al. I was thinking the OP had one of those plastic bags containing a few tree seeds and the exciting but misleading label ‘grow your own bonsai’. As if bonsai was a particular type of plant and by simply planting the seed you’d acquire a bonsai. That’s what “my first bonsai sprouted” sounds like to me. Also the post is under trees and houseplants, not under bonsai. But you appear to assume the OP is aware that it’s not so simple and that getting the seed to sprout is just the start of the training process. I wonder which it is?

ive also been watering them daily and keeping them outside.

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lets simplify this ... before burying OP in theory

how about a pic...

what is your potting media ...

im sure no tree needs water everyday ... unless its in a tiny pot with bad media ... that dries out that fast.. of you have it in full hot sun ...

is it in sun or bright shade ...

where are you.. big city name... so we might understand what outside means ...

im too lazy this morning.. but many pines grow barely a couple inches the first year ...

asking the rest here.. what is the realistic expectations for a black pine in year one ...??

its a tree.. not a child.. it wont need constant feeding .. and that even depends on the media .. the only reason to fert more is that when you water.. all the water drains out the bottom of the pot each watering.. so there is a need to replace such every other month or so ...

imo.. err towards allowing the pot to dry between waterings.. and use heavily diluted water soluable fert no more than once per month ... excessive fert does not change genetics.. and make plants grow more that they are programmed to grow.. and you can do much more harm than good with too much l... [imo it always better to teach a newb to be careful rather than encourage excess...]]

be patient... in maybe ten years.. you will have your bonsai ... if you can keep it alive that long .. dont have expectations that this is going to happen this summer ...

and in the mean time.. figure out what you might do with it next winter.. it is not a houseplant ...

ken

Flora - I don't necessarily disagree with the case you made, I just think it was unnecessary. What I do know is the poster didn't come here for a lecture about her use of terminology. As a beginner, she needs encouragement far more than a critique of her use of a word - especially when what she was asking is perfectly clear. She probably does have a product like "make a bonsai from what's in the box". So what? The perception and perspective re what a bonsai is evolves if practitioners remain active in the art/science; so, what they look at as a bonsai today would likely be referred to as a seedling, sapling, whip, liner, potensai, or some term other than 'bonsai', which would reflect their advancement. Until that time, what good comes from telling someone what they perceive as bonsai is not? That's like telling your neighbor he shouldn't refer to his dog, which is 3/4 Labrador Retriever, as a Labrador Retriever because it's actually a mongrel and should be referred to as such.

Al

You’ve misunderstood my intention and misinterpreted my words. Let’s leave it at that.

Hi thank you for all your advice i will take note! i am just 15 years old getting into gardening and planting seeds so sorry im still learning.

i live in leeds, england. Right now the temperature does sometimes go under 34*F so i have bring the seedlings inside but the weather is getting warmer in the next few weeks so i will keep them outside. Also i will stop watering them daily!

thanks

zenia

Hi Zenia. Our current temperatures will be no problem. No need to bring your seedlings inside. But keep an eye on them, birds like to forage in pots sometimes. They won’t eat your seedlings but they might pull them up.