Hello!

My name is Blaine, I'm from Kansas and I'm new to posting on this forum although I've frequented it for advice many a time. My desperation is leading me to create this post.

I have 3 Japanese Black Pine trees that are each around 2 months old, and have noticed that in the last 3 or 4 days their health has been rapidly deteriorating. The needles are getting weaker, turning a purplish color toward the top and browning toward the bottom. I've had to keep them indoors as my apartment didn't get any light from the outside.

I've attached a few pictures of their condition, for scale the pot is about 3x3 inches. Any help would be appreciated!

my first guestimate would be.. too wet & now you have some fungus in there. I would shelter from rain, and let the soil dry out considerably before watering, so that it is only just moist in the core of the pot.

Being inside is a death sentance. But they look ok, needles do die and the ones that are dying are older ones.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

Being inside

Lol, missed that they were inside

yes, i think it is natural, younger leaves do have a purplish tint, and as m5eaygeoff wrote, the older needles die off, as the tree wants to get taller and to form its own trunk.

Yes I agree with over watering for sure. Most seedlings are kept in trays with a plastic dome and in very small soil plugs. That way they don't get over watered and have plenty of humidity for there delicate leaves. Growing a seedling is a lot different than an established tree. Lots of work and failures are to be expected. Honestly I wouldn't even waste my time growing a pine from a seedling. Buy one online for cheap thats already 3 or 5 years old and plant it in the ground for a while. Watching a pine grow from seedling to a full bonsai would put you into retirement. LOL