Most of the time we mow them down and we don’t even know it. Because Littlest Trees often get their start growing in the lawn, where we never see them or mistake them for weeds.
Grass and weeds and kids playing on the lawn hide these little tree forests ready to grow.
But every so often, a sapling seed can take root under grass where the kids don’t play or in a garden bed or lonely corner of the yard. Just a few tiny, fragile leaves poke through. And like a baby that only shows hints of what its adult self will look like, you can see the signs that one day this Littlest Tree could be a giant.
So sometimes we try and save them to let them grow into big trees, and it’s a fun project to do with the kids. All you need is a garden spade and to give a helping hand.
Pierce the soil all the way around the Littlest Tree to the depth of the spade. Next, hold the tree “trunk” in your fingers and gingerly pull and pry up the root ball made with the spade. We’re trying to get the entire “tap root” of the tree out in tact. They’re fragile so be careful. Sometimes the dirt falls away, which is OK, and you can see the tiny roots. Sometimes the tap root is longer than the tree is tall.
Place the Littlest Tree in its new spot and water.
And take a photo. You’ll be amazed how fast the Littlest Tree will race your children to stand tall on their own.
Even though I don’t have a child, I always wonder what I can do with them. I would love to see them happy and enjoying their life and brought up knowing that they are loved. I like this idea of doing this form of landscaping with the child, removing a sapling seed and placing it into an area where it will grow. I would love for them to feel that they did that.