I love hickory trees. They are kinda rare here in Southwest Texas, and unfortunately, like to grow in each others shadow! I find when they are spaced far enough away from neighboring trees, they spread their branches into a lovely fan of shade....a real luxury in the heat of South Texas. However, when I try to dig up a sapling, I run out of energy before the tree runs out of root! On one occasion when I had a backhoe, I got a fair sized one moved and planted, but it died. (By the way, these are not the shagbark hickorys of the northland). I have spoted another sapling about a foot high, and it has buds leaving out. I'm torn wheter to try to dig it and move it so it can reach a glorious potential, or let it grow in the shadow of it's parents, a tall and skinny specimen, but as nature intended. I couldn't stand to kill another one.
