Is my seedling dying?

[Kdlee]

I have started using one of the bonsai starter kits and finally got one of the seeds to sprout last week.

It was looking fine but now it has flopped over. It is still green but there is no way that it can stand on it’s own it is very thin.

I have moved it into a brighter area of the house and am hoping it recovers. Is this possible or is it dead now?

 

[Cajunrider]

I have started using one of the bonsai starter kits and finally got one of the seeds to sprout last week.

It was looking fine but now it has flopped over. It is still green but there is no way that it can stand on it’s own it is very thin.

I have moved it into a brighter area of the house and am hoping it recovers. Is this possible or is it dead now?

We need to know where you are and the ID of the seedling.
From the little information you told us, it is likely that the seedling is starving for sunlight.

 

[Kdlee]

Unfortunately the kit doesn’t say what type they are…. Not a good start.

I’m based in the UK, but probably less light in my house than average. I can move it around so that it gets maximum sunlight throughout the day?

Do I just give it as much sun as possible and hope that it can make a recovery?

 

[Kdlee]

We need to know where you are and the ID of the seedling.
From the little information you told us, it is likely that the seedling is starving for sunlight.

Unfortunately the kit doesn’t say what type they are…. Not a good start.

I’m based in the UK, but probably less light in my house than average. I can move it around so that it gets maximum sunlight throughout the day?

Do I just give it as much sun as possible and hope that it can make a recovery?

 

[Cajunrider]

Unfortunately the kit doesn’t say what type they are…. Not a good start.

I’m based in the UK, but probably less light in my house than average. I can move it around so that it gets maximum sunlight throughout the day?

Do I just give it as much sun as possible and hope that it can make a recovery?

Yes. Try to get as much sun as possible. When trees lack sunlight, they grow long really fast trying to reach sunlight.

 

[HorseloverFat]

These bonsai kits are meant to intrigue, and send you down paths of study that really cement the horticultural love of bonsai..

To get you "hooked"

I had one too!

None of those seedlings survived, but my love of bonsai did!



Yes, sun is most often the issue, followed closely by watering habits.

Like CJR said, get em in some sun! Hope for the best.

If they don't make it, don't beat yourself up, though.. keep going!

(Do your seedlings have leaves or little soft needles)

 

[Kdlee]

These bonsai kits are meant to intrigue, and send you down paths of study that really cement the horticultural love of bonsai..

To get you "hooked"

I had one too!

None of those seedlings survived, but my love of bonsai did!



Yes, sun is most often the issue, followed closely by watering habits.

Like CJR said, get em in some sun! Hope for the best.

If they don't make it, don't beat yourself up, though.. keep going!

(Do your seedlings have leaves or little soft needles)

These bonsai kits are meant to intrigue, and send you down paths of study that really cement the horticultural love of bonsai..

To get you "hooked"

I had one too!

None of those seedlings survived, but my love of bonsai did!



Yes, sun is most often the issue, followed closely by watering habits.

Like CJR said, get em in some sun! Hope for the best.

If they don't make it, don't beat yourself up, though.. keep going!

(Do your seedlings have leaves or little soft needles)

It was only one that made it but it does have two little leaves, although they are closing up together now

 

[Cajunrider]

It was only one that made it but it does have two little leaves, although they are closing up together now

It will take a whole lot of effort and luck to keep that very very weak seedling alive.
I suggest hanging around here a bit and check out information on-line on bonsai in your location from local people in UK. Do you have the capability to keep bonsai outside your house? If so there are lots of things you can do.

 

[Kdlee]

It will take a whole lot of effort and luck to keep that very very weak seedling alive.
I suggest hanging around here a bit and check out information on-line on bonsai in your location from local people in UK. Do you have the capability to keep bonsai outside your house? If so there are lots of things you can do.

Yes I can leave it outside but it would be very cold. Would I bring it in overnight or just let it fend for itself?

If you have any suggestions for how I could help it by keeping it outside that would be great, thanks.

 

[yashu]

Looks like damping off, no?

 

[Cajunrider]

Yes I can leave it outside but it would be very cold. Would I bring it in overnight or just let it fend for itself?

If you have any suggestions for how I could help it by keeping it outside that would be great, thanks.

Right now keep it in the house with as much sunlight as you can give it. There is little hope that it will survive. The question was more for the future bonsai trees that you may want to get instead.

 

[rockm]

FWIW, that doesn't look like a tree seedling. It looks very much like a weed (which often are dormant in packaged soil). In any case, if temps in your area are above freezing and will remain that way (not dropping below at night) this should be outside. If the kit you got it with is like those sold here in the states, the seeds were probably for a temperate zone plant (maple, elm etc. --this definitely doesn't looke like a conifer--pine, spruce, etc. BTW). As such, it should be fine outside. IF you have freezing temperatures, bring the plant inside, place it back out when that weather has passed. Ultimately, if it survives, it should be outside ALL THE TIME.

 

[JackHammer]

I find it hard to believe that there is no indication of what type of tree. Maybe there is a picture of a tree on the box?
Indoors, lots of light, moist soil but not wet. Make sure there is no standing water in the pot.
It might make it.

 

[JeffS73]

Kdlee, can you post a picture of the box?

 

[Shibui]

My first though from the description was damping off but fortunately, no sign of brown on the stem so almost certainly just lack of light so the stem is too weak to stand up.
It still has a good chance to survive but will need much more light to get strong and make to food. I would not move a seedling that has had little light into full sun straight up. That will just cause sunburn. Move to intermediate light or a grow light for a few weeks to gradually adjust to UV before going full sun.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I agree with @rockm , this actually doesn't appear to be a tree/shrub seedling.



I strongly recommend, OP... To keep your interest alive..

Folks here can recommend inexpensive, but proper seeds OR plants in your area..

So you can continue to learn and grow.

 

[dbonsaiw]

The seed may be a gonner, but don't give up. Go out and find a nice established seedling if you are looking to start with younger material. This way, you actually lost no time playing with the seed and now have material a few years further along.

I'm not really familiar with the bonsai shops in the UK, but I would definitely check out Herons Bonsai.

 

[BrightsideB]

Sadly these kits are kind of a scam. They show nice old bonsai grown by masters as a cover photo and we’re probably not even grown from seed by a person rather found growing wild and turned into bonsai.
I think these kits as @HorseloverFat stated can begin the intrigue and deeper love for bonsai and learning it. But I think they can also make people think this is how bonsai is done and make it seem almost impossible.
Growing from seed is one of many ways to create bonsai. Probably the most rewarding yet also will take much longer.
Definitely look here on the forum at what people are doing. It will be enlightening on all the ways people create bonsai and a lot of people do updated threads on trees they are working on.