The present invention relates to a cultivation method for zelkova schneideriana seedlings. The method comprises the following steps of (1) preparing a cultivation nursery, namely selecting fertile sandy loam or light loam and building a seedbed after cake fertilizer application, deep ploughing, fine soil preparation and levelling; (2) soaking seeds, namely soaking dry storage seeds in water for 2to 3 days, taking out sinking seeds, soaking the seeds for 30 minutes with 0.5% potassium permanganate or 1% bleaching powder, and fishing up and airing the seeds; (3) accelerating germination, namelysoaking the seeds in warm water for 4 days and putting the seeds at an environment of 4 to 8 DEG C for 10 days; (4) performing seeding, namely performing seeding on the seedbed in lines with the seeding rate of 150 to 200 kilograms per hectare, covering the seedbed with grass and keeping the soil of the seedbed moist; (5) carrying out seedling management, namely removing the grass timely after seedling emergence, and carrying out thinning, soil loosening, weeding, irrigation and topdressing timely at the seedling stage; and (6) carrying out seedling outplanting, namely carrying out seedling outplanting after the seedlings grow for 9 to 10 months. According to the method, the seedling growing time is short, the seedling yield is up to 220000 to 330000 seedlings per hectare, the seedlings can be transferred for planting in the same year, the quality of the seedlings is excellent, and the market competitiveness is strong.