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Hey everyone, new to bonsai here and just looking for some tips. I started off watching a lot of videos and then buying a cheap Alberta Spruce from Lowes to practice cutting and wiring to learn the basics. It did well and seemed to be growing and surviving.

Now this little guy has been my pet project. I picked up a pack of eBay seeds, they had an impressive germination rate, probably around 35%-40%. Kept all the seedlings growing before picking what was the strongest one and put him in his own pot. It's been growing for a few months now indoors and seems to be doing well. It's a little over 8 inches tall, growing a lot after faster than I expected though, I might have to transplant him into a bigger pot. It's also just started putting off side branches which are growing absurdly fast, I feel like I could almost watch them grow. Any tips on where I should go from here. Should I prune off some leaves or branches or anything? It still has it's original baby leaves (the ones that don't look like elm leaves).






I know it would probably be better to place it outside, but I'm not really sure if it's possible. I live in an apartment building, 3rd story with an east facing window. My only recourse would be to set it's pot outside on top of my window air conditioner, but I have a bird with a nearby nest that loves to frequent my air-conditioner, I hope it wouldn't destroy the plant.

Another option might be to rig up some type of interior shelf so it's getting natural light for part of the day, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

HI
IF I was you I would carefully put it into a larger pot and let it grow don't do to much with it until the trunk starts to mature and become hard and you have some major branches then . you can start to apply some loose training wire. if you apply it to tight you will damage the tree as it is growing very fast and needs to do this to mature, until it is a size you would like to keep it the you need to prune and shape.

Regards
Vanishtwenty

Do not prune it. The plant is too young and you need the growth. You have lower branches developing and that's a good thing.
Do not wire, not even loosely. It will certainly damage the plant.
Do not repot it. It's not necessary at the moment and it will stress the young plant.

Just let it grow another few months. Then check again.

Hey guys, little update here. The thing has shot up like a weed, it's over 2 feet tall now in this tiny pot, it can barely support itself. Should I still not whack the top off it it?

I think you can do that - but do not prune any of the 'branches'.