Pine sapling collection time

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After many years of assuming pine trees couldn't/wouldn't naturally grow from seeds in the valley floor Im finding them all over the place. Every mature pine tree that has wood chips surrounding it have at least 1 or 2 seedlings under it, and none at all with bare soil.
How early can I collect some of these pine saplings? It froze last night so I'm assuming I should wait a few more weeks? Is hate to dig them up, just for them to immediately start dying. I believe the ones I'm interested in are ponderosa.
 

Potawatomi13

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Same time as potted trees. After freezing past. Just before bud break;)?
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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I too prefer waiting until the last frost. Unless I am certain that I can keep them frost free.
Saplings usually can handle quite a lot of abuse, and quite frankly none of them ever failed, with or without frosts.
But I only know scots pine and JRP that well, not ponderosa.
 

parhamr

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Ponderosa and other pines native to Western North America are most tolerant of root disturbances at the end of winter dormancy, around the Summer Solstice after the first flush of growth is hardened, and again in the late summer or fall just before they break from summer dormancy and begin tissue accumulation. This info is collected from trial and error by professionals and enthusiasts.

Now seems like a fine time. I don’t think it would hurt to wait two more weeks.
 
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