How to Care for Your Little Sap Gift Tree: Planting and Growing Guide
So you’ve received a Little Sap, a living tree gifted with love. Whether it arrived to honor someone’s memory, celebrate a milestone, or simply brighten your day, it’s more than a present. It’s a gift that grows.
If you’re wondering what to do next, don’t worry. Caring for your sapling is simple. Follow these steps to give your Little Sap the best start in its new home.
Step 1: Unpack Your Little Sap
Your gift may have arrived in one of three ways:
Small sapling in a burlap or linen bag (12–18 inches tall)
Planting kit with a bagged sapling, custom soil blend, and terracotta planter
Medium or large pre-potted sapling (18–30 inches tall, already planted in soil and ready to display outdoors)
Check your packaging carefully. The wrapping is designed to protect the roots during shipping, but your tree needs a new home soon after it arrives.
Step 2: Choose the Right Spot
Little Saps are evergreen trees, which means they cannot live indoors. They need fresh air, sunlight, and seasonal changes to stay healthy.
Place your sapling in a sunny, protected location outdoors.
If you received a pre-potted tree, it can stay right in its planter outdoors for one to two years before needing more space.
If you received a bagged sapling or planting kit, move to Step 3 to prepare the soil or planter.
Step 3: Prepare the Soil or Planter
(Skip this step if your Little Sap came pre-potted, unless you want to transplant it right away.)
If your tree arrived in burlap or linen, or as part of a planting kit, you’ll need to prepare its first home.
Planter option: Choose one with drainage holes. A one-gallon pot is ideal for saplings that are 12–18 inches tall. Fill with a mix of half potting soil (with slow-release fertilizer if available) and half pine bark mulch for healthy drainage.
Ground option: Select a sunny, protected spot with space for the tree to grow. Clear weeds and loosen the soil before planting.
Step 4: Plant with Care
Now it’s time to give your sapling roots to grow.
In a planter: Place the tree so the top of the root plug is level with the soil surface. Add soil gently around the base and water thoroughly. Keep the soil about an inch below the rim so water can soak in.
In the ground: Dig a hole twice the width of the root plug. Set the sapling in place so the root plug sits level with or just below the surface. Backfill with soil, press down firmly, and water well. Add mulch around the base, keeping it away from the trunk.
Step 5: Water and Watch the Seasons
All Little Saps need regular care, whether they’re planted in the ground or growing in a planter.
Watering: Give your sapling a deep soak when first planted, then water during dry spells. Soil should be moist but not soggy.
Seasonal changes: Don’t worry if your evergreen bronzes or changes color in winter. Most varieties green up again in spring.
Sunlight: Place your tree in a bright, sunny location. Even pre-potted trees must live outdoors year-round.
Step 6: Repotting and Long-Term Care
Pre-potted saplings: These can stay in their container outdoors for one to two years. After that, move to a larger planter or into the ground.
Bagged or planting kit saplings: Repot into a slightly larger planter every one to two years until you’re ready to plant permanently in the ground.
Ground planting: Once planted in the earth, your Little Sap will grow steadily for years with only basic care. Water during dry periods, protect from extreme weather, and enjoy watching it thrive.
The Little Saps Promise
We want every gift tree to flourish. If your Little Sap is not thriving within 30 days of arrival, reach out with a photo. Our team will help troubleshoot and, if needed, send a healthy replacement
Rooted in Care
Your Little Sap is more than a plant. It is a living symbol of love, remembrance, and resilience. With just a little attention, it will grow into something lasting, a reminder of the care that went into choosing it for you.
Because this isn’t just a gift for today. It is a gift that grows.