How to Plant and Grow a Sequoia Seedling

A Giant Sequoia, with men in front of it for scale.

The Giant Sequoia is one of the largest plant species in the world. It is also an extremely hearty tree, which will grow in nearly any environment if properly cared for. Given appropriate care, your Giant Sequoia seedling will be able to live in any temperature extreme from 110 degrees to -30 degrees once it's 5-6 years old. Here's how to plant and grow a Giant Sequoia seedling.

Things You'll Need

• A Giant Sequoia Seedling
• A Large Pot (at least 10 gallons, minimum)
• Good, High-Drainage Potting Soil
• A Nice Full-Sun Exposure Point

Instructions

Planting Your Giant Sequoia Seedling

1. Get the supplies. You'll need the Giant Sequoia seedling, pot, and potting soil to complete the process.

2. Fill the pot until nearly full with your potting soil.

3. Remove your Giant Sequoia seeding from its current packaging or pot.

4. Gently expose the roots of your Giant Sequoia seedling.

5. Soak the roots of the seedling in lukewarm water for roughly 10 minutes.

6. Remove the seedling's roots from the water.

7. Dig a hole in the potting soil that's just deep enough for the roots of the GIant Sequoia seedling.

8. Loosen the soil underneath the hole. This will ensure that your seedlings roots will be able to spread.

9. Plant your Giant Sequoia seedling in the hole, covering just the roots with dirt, and patting the soil down on top lightly.

10. Water the tree thoroughly until the potting soil is fully saturated.

11. Place the Giant Sequoia seedling in a full-sun exposure.

Maintaining Your Giant Sequoia Seedling

1. Water the seedling only after the soil has drained thoroughly and feels dry to the touch.

2. Make sure the seedling gets plenty of sunlight.

3. Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer to help feed the seedling, especially when it is young.

4. Protect the seedling from extreme heat variations (above 95 degrees or below 32) until it is at least 5 years old.

5. Re-pot as necessary, planting in the ground after the tree reaches 5-6 years of age.

Tips & Warnings

• Potting soil that's marketed to those growing a cactus plant is particularly well-suited to growing a Giant Sequoia seedling.

• Choose a pot with a draining hole in the bottom for best results.

• Once it reaches the age of 4 or so your Giant Sequoia should grow about 1 foot each year and may grow to be several hundred feet tall.

• Don't plant your Giant Sequoia too close to a building or road. Once the tree reaches full maturity it will truly be a giant and may destroy and nearby structures it encounters.

• Don't water your Giant Sequoia seedling too much. This is the number one reason that some seedlings die.