growing redwood tree in container..any suggestions?

[earth]

Hi,
I recently got a free redwood seedling from California State Fair, they asked to grow it in a pot for 1-2 years and then plant in yard(hopefully I will have a yard by then) I have put it in 1 1/2 gallon pot (its my dustbin which I have hand painted ) This seedling seems will not survive long..it has red leaves and few dead leaves on top... I did ask them to give me another better one but then they showed me new growth at the bottom. I thought if not me then someone else will get this so let it be me .... so here I am trying my best to help this little seedling survive.
I do not keep it in sun (as they told me), temperature are in mid 90 degree. Have used "miracle grow "potting mix. I water till the water runs through the bottom of container and then water only after the soil is dry.
Any more suggestions?
thanks!!

[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2648/3906885117_6161b3ceca.jpg[/img]

New growth.......

[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/3907663462_94ed6e92c3.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2537/3906885673_488533cc48.jpg[/img]

[vintagejuls]

Does it have drainage?

A redwood requires full sun. Maybe not when a seedling but most plants require full sun for at least a short amount of time every day.

Good luck with your new little tree.

[Diane]

https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/upload/redw%20seedlings.pdf

This is a very short article about redwood seedlings. They like to be moist, not wet, at all times.
That's the only difference I read.
Cut off the lower brown branches.
When I looked at images I noticed that the tops were all straight up. Yours might need more water.
Congrats on your tree.

[earth]

thanks!

vintagejuls: yes I made holes at the bottom of the container.

Diane: wow! excellent article. I will remove the bottom branches, thanks!

[sweet thunder]

Are you on the coast? If you're in the fog belt you can probably give it full sun, but if your temps are in the 90s I'm guessing you're a little bit inland. In that case you might want to give it a little bit of shade.

I have a redwood sapling in a pot that a friend gave me. It gets a few hours of sun a day. I water it when I think of it. It's doing fine. I might just keep it in a pot forever because I do not need another full size redwood on my little city lot (already got one!)

Just keep in mind that these things grow fast and huge. They are shallow-rooted and unless they are planted near other redwoods, where their roots can intermingle and give them stability, a mature tree can topple on your house.

[earth]

thanks sweet thunder! I live in Sacramento and the temperature is still in 90s. I have kept it in one corner of my patio which does not receive sun but is pretty hot.... I think it has started showing signs of some improvement & think it might just survive. I saw further increase in the new growths which it already had at the bottom when I got it home...my fingers crossed!! But 3 leaves on the stem are still drying up

[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2645/3937628991_76cd7a0655.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2537/3938406528_82efac2b14.jpg[/img]

I will take care and plant it away from home whenever I plan to remove it from pot