How to Care for Dawn Redwood Seedlings

Fill large planting pots with clay soil and cover the soil with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. Place a dawn redwood seed in the center of each pot.

Place the pots in a greenhouse or outside if the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Dawn redwood seedlings grow best in partial shade with bright light.

Water the dawn redwood seeds with at least 1 inch of water per week to keep the soil moist at all times, without allowing the soil to become soggy. The seeds should sprout within two months. A mature dawn redwood, unlike the seedling, can thrive in soggy soil.

Select an outside planting site in full sun. Ensure the planting site is not in a depression that will collect cold air. Transplant the seedlings outside when they reach 6 inches in height.

Water the seedlings with 1 inch of water during the first two growing seasons. This tree drops its needles when it goes dormant, generally when the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Discontinue supplemental watering of a dawn redwood seedling once it establishes its root system except during periods of prolonged drought. This typically occurs after one to two years.