And I totally agree with everything in your post. Just to let you know a little of why I am willing to pursue this: A few of the plants I have dug are a group of nandina, running bamboo, Eastern Redcedar saplings, various yard annuals and constant lifting and splitting of bananas. My list of digging tools in this order are garden fork, bypass lopping shears, shovel, prybar. All last year I kept lifting various seedlings from the university campus. The really little ones are very likely to live because it's so easy to get two handfuls of dirt around it. The only ones that died were the larger seedlings where I jacked the bottoms of the roots. We'll see how many survived the winter in my glass window lean-to. Does all of this qualify me to go in the woods and dig trees up. No, but I think my odds are fair. I will clearly admit I am in my major learning period. That's why I'm after seedlings and coming back for the nicer ones later.
The comment about free trees was totally in humor. Even with permission, nothing is free. I'm still on the fence about ordering a little one just so I have my guarantee of having one this year. I will waffle about it for a few days. Perhaps I will decide as I take a few more divisions of bamboo this weekend.
. Having said that so far I am mostly removing seedlings from flower beds and the paths of mowers. Being still young in this hobby, right now I collect small trees to "keep them alive" and increase my species collection. Bigger, worthwhile trees are to come in a few years. Having said that, IF: I can find what I think is a hornbeam by bark texture, it's a size worth my time, and it's not buried in brush then I'm game. I have not done a lot of collecting but do have experience with digging and transplanting plants. Just not specimen type plants. Either way a hunting trip is a hunting trip and it will give me a chance to mark trees for observance. If I find something really worthwhile I can at least spade a ring around it for next year's digging.
