What is a sapling tree?

A sapling is a young tree or shrub that is typically between one and three years old. It may look small above ground, but it already has a developing root system that allows it to establish and grow quickly once planted.

How do you plant a sapling tree?

Planting a sapling is simple and can be done in four steps: dig a small hole, wiggle the soil to create space, place the sapling with the roots pointing down, and gently press the soil back around the roots to secure it.

Why do saplings often grow better than container trees?

Saplings establish naturally in the soil from the beginning, allowing their roots to spread freely. Container-grown trees can develop circling or misshapen roots that slow establishment and may affect long-term tree health.

Are saplings easier to plant than large nursery trees?

Yes. Saplings are lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to transport. Because they are small and already adapted to growing directly in soil, they are quick to plant and require far less effort than large container trees.

Video | The Smarter Way to Plant Trees

Hi. I’m Archie. This is Martina. And today we’re going to be talking about tree planting.

So when you get a tree from a nursery then you have to bring the tree home. Then you got to place it in the ground. So when you place it into the ground, you have to dig a hole. That’s usually 2 to 3 times the width of the container that the tree is in. Once that hole is dug, then you have to amend the soil with compost.

Once all of that is said and done, you can finally place the tree in the hole.

Once that tree is staked and everything is all said and done. Then you can put woodchips down on top of it.

But Martina, how many trees did you plant in that time? Three. Yep. So I would rather be planting saplings.

So what is a sapling? A sapling is a tree or a shrub, but that’s between 1 and 3 years old. It looks like a little twig with a root system on it. It may not look like much, but these little trees have a lot of advantages over containerized trees.

So how do you plant a sapling? Well, it’s four easy steps of dig, wiggle, place, and squish.

First, we dig a hole into the ground. Next, we wiggle back and forth to create a little bit of room. Then we place the sapling into the ground. Root side down, of course. Then we push the soil together and squish. It’s that easy!

Not only are saplings easy to plant. They’re also cheap. A couple of saplings could be a couple of dollars, whereas a large tree from a nursery could be upwards of $200 or more. Because saplings are so small, they’re easy to transport too. You can have a couple sent to you in the mail.

Hey, Martina. How many have we planted so far? Ten! Fantastic!

And here’s the best part. Saplings will outgrow container trees. That’s right. No more sleep. And creep and leap. It is all leap. Because when you plant the sapling, it is ready to go as soon as it’s put in the ground. Because its root system will establish naturally. Compare that to a containerized tree, which doesn’t have enough room to grow. The roots will often become misshapen or grow up and strangle the trunk.

Saplings are cheap, grow faster, and they’re easy to take care of. You’d be surprised at how tough these little trees are. Whereas a large container tree could take upwards of a couple of years to establish and need water throughout that entire time. Our little saplings only need protection from deer and lawnmowers and that’s it.

How many trees is that, Martina? 13!

Saplings have great potential not only to produce a great tree, but to revolutionize how we plant trees. They’re easier to plant, easier to maintain, and they grow faster. Saplings will produce healthier, longer living trees and professional planting methods. And the more healthier of longer living trees we have, the more we can help heal the earth!

So next time you need a tree, get the best, get a sapling!