Hello everyone! I’m brand new to bonsai everything. My wife purchased the bonsai kit from garden republic. It came with four different varieties of bonsai trees. I followed the instructions exactly. After soaking my seeds for 24 hours I planted them in the soil they came with the kit. This was on the 17th. Of this month Feb. my question is. Do I keep them and non-direct sunlight or direct sunlight until germination? From what I’ve read it takes 4 to 6 weeks to sprout depending on variety of tree. Any help would be appreciated thank you, Ed

This "kit" comprises of TREE seeds, they are not bonsai. If you are lucky the seed will be viable and some will germinate. You need to find a sheltered spot and cover the pot with a sheet of glass and something to keep it dark, make sure it is moist and then wait. How long it will take to possibly germinate will depend on the temperature,. Then once the seedlings are big enough to handle they should be re planted into individual pots. I will be at least 1 or 2 years before you can do anything to them depending on what species.

Ed44 wrote:

Hello everyone! I’m brand new to bonsai everything. My wife purchased the bonsai kit from garden republic.

That's sweet of her, but, while well intended:

Found this kit at Garden Republic, and the only thing bonsai in this kit are the leaf cutters, that you won't even need.
You don't have four different varieties of bonsai trees, you have four different varieties of tree seeds, period.
The booklet is not going to help you create bonsai.

It's not the seed that creates the bonsai, but the techniques applied to normal trees.

So.. now you know what everybody thinks of these bonsai kits..

Welcome to the forum

Ed44 wrote:

Do I keep them and non-direct sunlight or direct sunlight until germination? From what I’ve read it takes 4 to 6 weeks to sprout depending on variety of tree. Any help would be appreciated thank you, Ed

I put all the seeds I am growing outside in normal weather and let nature take control. They are in the rain and in a bright, yet not sunny location in the garden.

As you probably have a fairly regular potting soil, it would be good to not let the pots sit in the rain; The stuff you are using stays too wet initially without anything growing that uses the water.

I get my bonsai seeds from parks/forests for free. Sometimes, I take them after they have sprouted... For fruit trees, I get seeds from the fruit.

I have 2 sprouts on 2/4 containers. Flame tree and black spruce. I understand there’s a lot involved to create a bonsai I’m also understanding I’ll fail more then once. It’s a learning curve and I’m pretty stoked I have sprouts.