Overview

One reason cedar trees are popular everywhere in the continental United States is because there are varieties that will grow and thrive in whatever USDA zone you live in. A magnificent slow-growing tree that can ultimately reach heights of 40 to 100 feet, depending on the variety, the cedar is easy to grow, pest resistant when established and will grow in any soil that is not water logged for long periods of time.

Planting Cedar Saplings

Step 1

Place your cedar sapling in a bucket filled with water while you are digging and preparing the hole you intend to plant it in. Keeping the roots of your sapling wet will help in successful planting of your cedar sapling.

Step 2

Dig a hole that is 6 to 8 inches wide and 2 to 3 inches deeper than necessary to accommodate the roots. One of the advantages of cedar trees is that they can grow in sun or shade, though they will grow slower in a shady location. The ideal location for your cedar sapling is where it will receive sun and shade throughout the day, with no utility lines overhead that it may eventually grow into.

Step 3

Mix organic material in with the soil you removed from the hole you dug, if your soil is not already rich and loamy. Add one part organic matter to two parts soil.

Step 4

Place your cedar sapling in the hole you dug, making sure the roots are downward.

Step 5

Carefully fill soil in and around the roots of your cedar sapling. While you do this, compact the soil surrounding the roots to eliminate any air pockets in the soil that will cause the roots to dry out and not receive the water needed to grow. Continue to fill the hole until the soil is level with the ground surface.

Step 6

Water your newly planted cedar sapling so the soil around it remains continually moist, but not soggy, for the first month. After that, water every three to four days.