Fertilizing and watering pine seedlings in nurseries affects their growth and survival in the field. By testing different fertilizer and watering levels, researchers found that higher fertilizer and watering rates led to better shoot growth and nitrogen levels in the seedlings. However, too much fertilizer could decrease root mass and phosphorus and potassium content. The best combination for optimal seedling survival and growth in the field was 100 mg of nitrogen per seedling and 75% gravimetric water content. This study shows that the right balance of fertilizer and watering is crucial for producing healthy pine seedlings with good field performance.