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Hello, long time listener, first time caller here. So I have a young black pine from seed that I planted in June. As I gear up for the cold Michigan winter, I’m wondering should I leave it outside? It lives on the back deck with full sun and is doing well so far. Winter temps here can be well below freezing for extended periods of time, with fair amounts of snow. I’ve read that conifers need the winter dormancy period and don’t do well inside, but I worry that it won’t survive because its such a young tree. I know this is a fairly common question but I haven’t found anything like this about seedlings. I’ve seen people say that you should find someone in your area for advice, so if anyone in or around SE Michigan or anywhere with a similar climate has any ideas about this, please advise. Thanks!

As long as Its not freezing it will be ok, so leave it outside till then. If temps drop well below zero day and night for a longer time place it in an unheated garage or garden shed ( with maybe some frost protection if it freezes in there) never inside in your house where there is heating.

I kept my jbp seedlings outside all year the first 3 years. I live in coastal Sweden, similar to usda zone 7. It can get really cold for weeks, but rarelly snows. Last winter I kept them in a greenhouse, cant say I could see any difference other than earlier bud extension.

I Think it Will be fine outside. Your climate sounds a lot more similar to their natural Environment than mine. But it is your tree.

I love all the advice. But I think there are 3 different pines that are labelled black pine. I would be curious to know which one it is.

It is a JBP. Thunbergii.

I would look for bonsai people in the area and see what they do.

What I would probably aim at would be putting it on the ground right beside the house to block wind and keep the frigid air off the bottom of the pot. Then, when a particularly cold night comes up put some plastic over it.

Maybe put it in an unheated out building. The cold won't hurt it as much as hard winds and rapid change in temperature.

BTW, most people here speak metric, so below 0 above probably means below freezing.